


Lost Memories

by lover_of_love19



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-10
Updated: 2013-11-09
Packaged: 2018-01-01 00:41:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1038302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lover_of_love19/pseuds/lover_of_love19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when Joey wakes up to find that he is 7 years older, his friends no longer talk to him, and works at KC. To top is all off there are these weird feelings of excitement whenever he sees this certain CEO.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first fanfiction into all fanfiction. I have chosen not to change it from the way that I originally uploaded it on Fanfiction.net. I know there are errors, but if I change anything now, I'll destroy the fic.

Hanging out with my best buds at the club on Friday night was usual, having spotted a person that caught my interest was not. While Yugi, Yami, Tristan, Anzú, Duke, and my little sis Serenity were on the dance floor, I had opted to stay behind and see if I could get the eye candy to join me. With a smile and a knowing glance they sauntered their way toward me. My gaze roamed their body; tall, dark haired, and crystal blue eyes. I have always been a sucker for blue eyes.  
Leaning close to shout over the music they said “It’s rather crowded in here, I say we get to know each other in a more intimate setting.”  
My eyebrows shoot up, never have I meet a more straightforward person. No that’s a lie actually I have never met one that is willing to acknowledge my existence. I send them my winning smile before responding  
“’ow ‘bout ya tell me your name before we ‘ave such a intimate talk.”  
I easily fall into the dumb accent I have made up over the years. I have no intentions of having sex with this person. Despite what others may think, I would like to know a person before I jump in bed with them even if I’m willing to meet them at a club of all places.  
The dark haired stranger laughs, “People call me Sky not only because of the color of my eyes, but I’ve been told I can make men reach the stars. You can call me that too. I wont ask for your name because that really doesn’t mater to me so I’ll just call you Blondie.”  
Their smile is nice, but the glint in those blue eyes is captivating. It fleetingly brings other eyes to mind but I cannot remember whose they belong to in my slightly inebriated mind.  
“Yea I like dat, but what if ya end up like falling in love with me o’ something? Whatcha gonna do d’en eh? Ask around fo ‘Blondie’?”  
Their smile is now condescending, “what makes you think that I want more than one night with you?”  
That comment takes me by surprise; if the voice were different I would think Kaiba was talking to me. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending how one looks at it, he wouldn’t be caught dead here, the life of the poor has never interested him. Even if the poor are interested in him, you know the children that buy his games and magazines and stuff…  
As my eyes wander to my left and I catch Yugi signaling that it’s time to go. We graduate tomorrow so I should probably be awake for that, you know so when they call my name and all. I turn to Sky and see that they’ve also seen Yugi’s wave.  
“Looks as if we talked too much and didn’t do enough.”  
Sometimes people who are easy come off desperate but this person’s hot so I’ll let my ego inflate a bit. I absent-mindedly nod while I wave, then purposely throw a killer smile as I get up and start walking towards the door; this one is guaranteed to have Sky asking for my real name. If I’m lucky they’ll give me their number before I leave.  
Just as I am about to set foot outside I am pulled back. I catch a glimpse of blue eyes before lips meet, and tongues glide against each other. They grab on to my hair as I tighten my hold on their waist; when did my hand get there? I can hear catcalls from the on lookers, and I am feeling pretty cocky until I am harshly pulled out of the kiss. I’m about to punch Tristan if it’s him, only to meet the eyes of a very pissed off guy.  
This guy is slightly taller than me, has combat boots, an American flag bandana on his head and easily has 30lbs on me.  
“What’s ya damn problem?” I angrily demand.  
“My problem is that you are kissing my boyfriend. So now let me ask you, what are you doing kissing my boyfriend?” He crossly answers.  
I’m shocked as I turn to look at Sky who only smirks as a response.  
“Are you going to answer me, or stare at my boyfriend all night?”  
I snap back to the attention of the muscled man. “What’re ya blind or some’ing? Did ya not see d’at ‘e is the one d’at kissed me?”  
By then my friends had noticed my absence and were now behind me. We had slowly built a crowd around us; their eyes were gleaming at the thought of a fight.  
“Hey man didn’t you hear my friend here? Your boyfriend is the one going around kissing other guys. Joey wouldn’t mess around with people who are already spoken for. I bet your little boy toy over there never mentioned that he had a boyfriend.”  
Tristan’s reasoning although an intelligent one wasn’t helping to put out the barbarian’s anger. In response to Tristan’s outburst the man pulled back his fist and brought it down on my face as hard as he could.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally published 12/4/2011

I woke up to a white ceiling. Since when did the apartment I shared with my dad get so clean? I close my eyes. Ugh, I must have been knocked out after that punch and Tristan let me stay over at his place. I did not think I drank so much, but my pounding headache and cottonmouth belied that. That punch must have something to do with my headache. Tristan probably forgot something in the microwave; was it even supposed to beep that long? The constant beeping was worsening my headache.  
I groggily mumbled “Tristan, turn the off the damn microwave” as I tried to turn over.  
I say tried because it was then that I felt something constraining my movements. I sleepily opened my eyes to see an IV needle stuck into my arm. I slowly followed it up to see that the beeping was not the microwave but at heart rate monitor, that was slowly raising in speed as I came fully awake.  
“I see that you have regained consciousness” the person I assumed was a nurse said. “You gave us quite a scare there, almost a week in coma.”  
A week? Did that man really punch me so hard that I was hospitalized and didn’t wake up for a week? Man I am getting weak if that’s all it took.  
“Did that guy really punch me that hard?”  
The nurse stopped her ministrations and gave me a bewildered look. “Someone punched you? Your charts say that you were in a car accident and had lost an extensive amount of blood before you were brought in. Now that you have woken up, and we check that your vitals are stable you can be moved out of the intensive care unit.”  
“Some one ran over me?”  
“No Sir, your car was crashed into and spun out of control before flipping over. The jaws of life had to be used to take you out”  
Since when do I have a car? Where are my friends, shouldn’t one of them be here in case I wake up?  
“Umm, I’m sorry but I’m confused, since when do I hown a car? If I remember correctly I don’t even have a drivers license. I don’t think my father can afford a car, least of all me. Are you sure you don’t have the wrong patient?” My confusion has slowly started to turn to panic.  
“I am not sure when you got your car sir, but unless you are not Joey Wheeler you are the correct patient.” Suddenly everything is spinning and I am not getting enough air.  
“Sir I am going to need you to breathe in deeply and exhale slowly, you are starting to panic. Your charts may be wrong, I’ll call in the doctor to have a look at you.”  
I nod while I slowly take a deep breath.  
The nurse comes back with the doctor in tow. The doctor is a friendly looking man, around his late thirties. He has wrinkles around his eyes, evidence of his happy nature.  
“Hello Mr. Wheeler, I see that you have woken up,” are the first words from Dr. Martinez; I read his nametag. “The nurse informs me that you do not remember a car accident, that is normal with a traumatic event such are your car crash.”  
A slight wrinkle forms in between his eyebrows as he informs me, “What is not normal is your claim to not having a car or license. I would like to ask some simple questions, nothing to fret over.” I nod for the doctor to proceed. “What is the last thing you can remember?”  
“I was at the club with my close friends, and I accidently made out with someone who already had a boyfriend. This caused said boyfriend to punch the daylights out of me. I woke up here on the hospital bed.”  
The doctor mumbled something about not knowing Kaiba let his employees live such vivacious lives. This very obviously confused me.  
“Kaiba Corp employee? What does Seto Kaiba have to do with me?”  
At this a deep frown settled on the doctor’s face.  
“You have a Kaiba Corp medical plan. You are the personal assistant to Mr. Kaiba. Even without medical history the fact that Mr. Kaiba has personally come and checked up on you would have led us to believe that you are not just any employee”  
To say I was shocked was an understatement. “Since when do I work for that asshole?” I scream out. “How can I work for him, let alone stand to see him everyday? We can’t be in the same room without us breaking into a fight. What kind of a sick joke is that bastard playing on me? I thought after graduating from high school I wouldn’t have to see his face again…Oh my god! Graduation! I totally missed it! Aw man, I bet Yugi was totally disappointed. Tea is going to kill me if I made the group fret about me while they were at the ceremony.”  
The doctor stopped my groaning when he asked, “How old are you Mr. Wheeler?”  
I thought he was joking, but as I saw the serious expression he wore I realized he wasn’t joking around.  
“I’m 18. Come on Doc, don’t act as if you don’t already know,” I scoffed out at him. “Mr. Wheeler I do not know how to say this without alarming you, but you are 24 years old. I am afraid you are suffering from post-traumatic amnesia. While you were in coma re-living old memories, the memory of being punched at the club caused your body to jolt awake. I am afraid you are missing six years of your life.”  
This statement had certainly stopped my moaning short. The panic that had just settled started to claw it’s way up from the bottom of my tummy to my throat. It felt like a giant itch had formed deep inside of me.  
“Six years of my life? I lost six years of my life! How do I get them back?” I will go to sleep and this will all just have been some crazy dream. I probably ate sweets before I fell asleep, yeah that seems reasonable.  
“Best case scenario you get all of your memories back in two weeks. Sometimes memories are slow to resurface, and it could be months before you start regaining them.” This calmed me down a bit, two weeks I could do that. “Unfortunately our worst case scenario is never recovering them”  
Every fiber of my body screamed no, as I sat there immobile. Yup, I definitely ate too many sweets. I probably binged on soda and candy before I went to bed, when I wake up I need to remember never to do that again.  
Nodding to myself I ask, “Well Doc, what do I do to remember?”  
The doctor gave me a surprised look. “Are you not going to have a panic attack? I am not saying that I encourage it, only that an attack is normal when informing a patient on their memory loss.”  
Since this was all a dream there was no reason to panic. “Do I look like a girl to you doctor?” I growl out “Only girls freak out! I figure I can either remember or not and right now I just happen to not be able to remember. Now what do I do to get my memories back?”   
“There is no correct route one takes to regain ones memories. All I can suggest is to surround yourself with your normal everyday activities. That is visiting your place, reading through journals, exploring your living space, getting together with family, close friends, and going to work. Do not go over stimulating yourself because that may cause a set back. Take things slow, wait two weeks after leaving the hospital before you go back to work so that you are not overwhelmed.”  
The nurse and doctor converse about my health as my memory loss slowly starts to sink in. The possibility of this not just being a dream starts to sink in. I’m shaken out of my thoughts when the nurse starts talking to me.  
“You should be happy to know that aside from your slight memory problem everything checks out. You will be moved down from intensive care to a regular room. I will come back with an assistant to help transfer you.”  
If this, for some reason, is real I don’t even want to think of not ever fully knowing who I was. I slowly push the thoughts of never regaining my memoires out of mind while I waited for the nurse to return. Joey Wheeler does not give up so not remembering is not an option.  
As the nurse heads towards the door I remember about the gang, “Oh nurse, I also if one of my friends is out there, or if they come visit me later can you please inform them that my room number has been changed.”  
I smile to myself, if I know my friends they’re probably worried sick about me right now. That’s how tight the gang is, always worrying about one another. Yugi especially worries about all our well-beings. I hope I haven’t upset him too much, knowing Yami he’ll probably get mad at me for worrying Yugi so much. I can already picture all of them here scolding me for giving them a hard time.  
“I’m sorry Mr. Wheeler other than Mr. Kaiba checking in on your progress, no one else has come to visit you. I will ask around, maybe other nurses have seen your friends around. Your new room will have a phone if you want to phone your friends. I am sure your friends would like to know that you have woken up.”  
Why haven’t my friends visited me? Do they know I’ve been in a car accident? Maybe this nurse hasn’t been around when they’ve come. I mean we’re all older now; they probably visit after work closer to the end of visiting hours. Yeah that makes sense. There is no need to worry, just need to rest for a bit so I can be fully awake when they visit.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally published 12/7/2011

I slept the whole night through, and woke up a little disoriented before memories of yesterday rushed back. With dread I came to realize that no, this was not a candy induced nightmare. It took some strength to not throw up the bile that had risen when the panic rose within me. That didn’t stop me from letting out a string of colorful words for others to hear. This obviously caught the attention of many of the nurses and it was then that the same nurse from yesterday appeared and started doing a morning check up. Trying to assess what was wrong with me, I stared at my body for the first time. I figured the was hit on the driver’s side since I had a cast on my left foot and arm. I asked the nurse, which I had found out was named Lily, what else was wrong with me. Lily informed me that along with visible broken bones, I had two broken ribs and a head injury; which probably explained my memory loss. With the promise of breakfast Lily left my room.  
“I thought your days of sleeping your life away ended in high school. As has been evident this last week, I was wrong.”  
I knew that voice. I hated that voice. I detested the owner of that voice. Kaiba. I look up to see him leaning against the doorframe, a smirk on his face with that gravity-defying coat on. The smirk seems soft, if a smirk can be soft. His blue eyes almost seem to be laughing. My heart skips a beat. I quickly scowl and demand, “What da hell ya doing ‘ere Kaiba?” My accent slips in whenever I was around this asshole.  
Kaiba’s smirk drops and his eyes narrow “That is Mr. Kaiba to you since you work for me. You do realize that you are my employee, so I will not tolerate you talking to me like that even if you are my personal assistant. Also I thought I told you that I would not tolerate you using that stupid accent around me.”  
All I could do was open and close my mouth before I yelled, “Since when do I work for an asshole like you? Either way why the hell would I work for a person who thinks I’m a dog? What type of voodoo magic did you use to get me to work for you? Oh no what did you blackmail me with?”  
At this Kaiba straightens and walks towards me. “I thought that doctor was lying to me when he told me that you were suffering from memory loss.”  
“Yeah well as you can see he wasn’t.”  
“Lets get something straight Wheeler. You don’t interrupt me while I’m talking and before you let that little brain of yours fry with reasons as to why you work for me, I’ll have you know that it was you who begged me for a job. Ask yourself why would I want an incompetent worker like you in my office. I was reluctant at first but you were willing to become the office bus boy. The fact that you are now my assistant is simply because you are willing to work more hours than you sleep.” He’s practically sneering by the end of his speech.  
“Why would I beg you for a job? I could work at Yugi’s store or something. Hell I could probably be a bus boy for someone else.”  
Kaiba just looks at me for a while before he asks, “What is the last thing you remember Pup?”  
The endearing note of the insult subdues my anger. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m not a dog?” I pout as I say this. Kaiba only grunts. “The last thing I remember was the night before graduation. I was at a club where I got knocked out by some giant.”  
“That explains the black eye you were sporting that day. I thought your gang fight days had been long over before then.”  
“Hey they are! They had been then too, only that apparently I was flirting with the wrong person…” Kaiba only snickers at this. “Hey it wasn’t my fault I was just a victim in the game of love.” I quickly defend myself   
“Please Wheeler I doubt you go looking for love at a club, that’s like digging for gold in your backyard.”  
I grimace “That’s true, but they were pretty hot, and I wasn’t told about the boyfriend until after they had made a move on me.” Kaiba scoffs at this.  
As odd as it seemed, I hadn’t thought that having a conversation with Kaiba would calm me down so much. It might be because he was still a stuck up rich kid. It’s nice to know that some things don’t change. I hadn’t noticed I had started smiling until, “What has you smiling like a buffoon?”  
That damn jerk always has to rain on my parade. “I was thinking that you’ve gotten much uglier since the last time I remember you,” I’m rather smug with my retort so I add a smirk to the comment.  
Kaiba ‘hmp’s at this then smartly replies “That’s because they haven’t put you in front of a mirror. You’ll take one look at yourself and be glad that you don’t have to see your face all day.” I growl at him. “I see the loss of memory has messed with my training. I need to re-teach you not to be hostile towards your master.”  
“I’m not a dog, ya jerk! And you’re not my damn master! Why are you here anyways” I huff out.  
“Down dog.” Kaiba says as he snaps his fingers as he smirks. “I have taught you better than that over the years.”  
“GAH! If these casts weren’t weighing me down, I swear I would punch your lights out! How the hell do I stand working for you?”  
Kaiba’s smirk seems to grow, “You would try to punch me. As I have mentioned before you work more hours than you sleep so apparently you can stand working for me. I would say you like it. Just like a loyal dog, always staying close to their master.”  
“Kaiba you’re a fucken bastard you know that!”  
At this Kaiba barks in laughter, “It has been quite some time since I have been able to use these dog comments on you and get a reaction from you. I’m quite happy I can still make you bark when I want to.”  
I’m seething and want to call him more names but I’ll show him I’m better than him. “Yeah well I’m sorry I’m not the Joey Wheeler you know.”  
Kaiba gives me a weird look then goes on to say, “You know you’re still the same loud, full of yourself, second rate duelist who thinks any guy that comes near his sister is reason enough to protect her chastity.”  
“I’m not a second rate duelist! Duel me any day and I’ll beat you. What are you still doing here anyway? Aren’t you late for some important meeting with other tight asses like yourself?”  
Kaiba shakes his head. “Just came to see if my dog was still alive. One of the other assistants will get in touch with you from now on. When you can move either your arm or leg, I expect to see you at work. I don’t feel like training you on your job again, so get those memories back first, the rest can be forgotten for all I care. The next two weeks you will be paid your salary, after that you better remember how to do your job. I’ll see you at work Pup.”  
There it was again that odd name and that fluttering of something in me. It must be all the pills this place has me on because I can almost swear that the feelings mean something. He walks out like the rich smug a-hole he is, while his coat makes his exit for him. One would think after six years that it would change, but I guess I wouldn’t change something that looks good on me either. I’m not so sure about the bondage buckles, or the tight pants; maybe I wouldn’t be so adverse to the pants. I shake my head out of weird thoughts.  
“What do ya mean ya don’t care about the other memories?”  
Without turning around he says, “I meant exactly what I said, remember I don’t like repeating myself”  
I roll my eyes, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, you don’t like the accent, you ever think that maybe my vocabulary changed in your stupid office?” Kaiba starts to walk away once more. “Hey Kaiba ya jerk listen to me! AH! I can’t believe I work for you!”  
For the next few days after I received flowers from co-workers to Mr. Wheeler giving me the same generic message ‘get well soon’, ‘hope all is well’, and for some odd reason ‘the office is being kept in order for you.’ This confused me, none of these cards were written by friends, it was almost as if all my co-workers were just that. I anticipated every flower or message hoping one of them was from my friends but it was as if they no longer cared for me. This hurt me more than I thought possible. Out of all the people I knew I thought that the gang would always be there for me. My eyes lit as they landed on the phone, I know I can call Yugi’s shop!

“— Game Shop, good afternoon, how can I help you?”  
I have never been so happy to hear Yugi’s voice; I couldn’t help the smile that broke out.  
“Hey Yug! Long time no see. Actually it’s probably only been a few days but you know days in the hospital seem to last forever.” I am greeted with silence before getting an awkward  
“Um…Joey? Oh, yes I heard that you were in a car crash, it’s good that you are doing well”  
I was more than hurt, Yugi had known I was at the hospital yet hadn’t come to see me? Perhaps the shop has been really busy these last few days. That would make sense, maybe since Kaiba got out of school and was able to mass-produce games that made duel monsters that much more in demand. Yeah that would make sense then the store would be booming with business, it didn’t stop the hurt though.  
I thickly swallow and say “Yeah I don’t know if having a cast on half your body and working for Kaiba is doing well but I’ll take that ha ha”  
“You don’t enjoy working for Kaiba? I thought after high school when you went to work for him you two secretly had always gotten along. I was surprised and pleased that you two could get over your differences and admit to being friends.”  
I laughed at this “That is just like you Yug, always thinking the best of people.”  
Yugi’s lack of desire for the conversation showed with his many pauses and the smile slipped from my face.  
“Well…I need to go, you know I’m at the game shop so I can’t stand around on the phone all day. I’ll see you around. Good bye,” with that he promptly hung up.  
My spirits tanked, I wonder what I did in the past to get avoidance from Yugi of all people?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published 12/15/2011

By the end of the week I hadn’t heard from any of my so-called friends. I got my wallet, house keys, and a device that was like no cell phone I’d ever seen, back. The doctor gave me painkillers for my injuries, and warned me about the bouts of nausea I would get; of course he waited until after I had already thrown up.  
A Kaiba Corp car was sent to pick me up and drop me off at my house, since I had no clue how to get there in the first place. How Kaiba was on top of things still bewildered me. I got dropped off in front of apartments that where slightly better off than the ones my dad had. I wonder if dad even noticed my absence, I figured I didn’t see him in my hospital room, because I had given him enough money to placate himself to next month. I slowly walk in to my apartment. I guess even present Jou knew that he couldn’t settle until he had better. Damn stingy bastard his own personal assistant and I still can’t live in luxury, I swear I’ll punch the stupid jerk when I see him.  
The apartment is a little less than bare. The living room only had a couch with a glass coffee table in the center on the right is a hallway door. Ignoring the door I walk into the modest kitchen that has a small four person wooden dinner table equipped with wooden seats. Down the hallway are three doors, one on the right, one on the left, and one at the end of the hallway. The door on the right is the bathroom, and the other two are bedrooms; I surprisingly find out one is a bedroom and the other has been converted into an office. I guess Kaiba was being serious when he said I worked more hours than I slept. The bedroom has a California Queen bed (this is an actual bed size) with a rich redwood headboard that is quite intricately designed; guess I saved up so that when I slept it was in comfort. My first instinct was to jump on the bed and test it, but the eerie quiet and cleanliness that dominated the apartment has me feeling as if I am in a stranger’s house and not my own.  
As I open the door at the end of the hallway I expect to see the same banal decoration so I’m surprised to see picture frames lined up on the desk in the center of the room. I walk in with caution, scared that someone will pop out and tell me that I’m in the wrong apartment, but as I peruse the pictures the fact that this place is mine is confirmed. Serenity growing up is shown in the pictures, some of the pictures feature me. I’m in work clothes; expensive looking work clothes. As I get closer to the pictures I realize two things I look older and Serenity although smiling along with me seems slightly unhappy. Finding that odd, I decide to become comfortable with my surroundings, Kaiba did say I had to start remembering my job. Quickly I start opening the shelves on the right side of the desk. The middle drawer has a leather folder, a laptop, and an extension keyboard. Why do I need the extra keyboard when I have one on the laptop? Placing the laptop on the desk I close the drawer. The top drawer on the left has a notebook with a blue ink pen to the right of it, to the left side of the notebook is a small container which holds paper clips on one side and a stapler on the other. I close that drawer. I find out that the second and last drawers on this side are really just one drawer made to look like two. I must have developed OCD or something. I discover that this drawer holds an extension of the drawer above, “Man it looks like I robbed an office supply store.” I jump in my seat. Realizing that was me, I smack my forehead. Figures that only I can manage to scare myself with my own voice. This apartment is creepy. I have to remember not to speak out loud. I then busied myself with the right side of the desk; which I found did have the three drawers. That’s sort of cool it was even! Six drawers with the illusion of seven, I bet that’s why I bought it in the first place; it’s not what it seems, that or my newly acquired OCD was satisfied knowing there was an even number. The first drawer on the right had my billing and bank statements; eh I’ll look at those later. The second drawer had cables, what I assume to be are the cell phone charger, a laptop charger, as well as a camera cable that was still attached to the camera. Judging by the contents of this desk they either have photos of Serenity and I, work related, or the camera is unused; this Jou was rather dull so the camera isn’t even tempting. Opening the next drawer was more disappointing than the last; it was empty. No wait it wasn’t there was a black DVD case, wonder what it has. As I reach for the case a ringing goes off. I immediately close the drawer and leap from the desk as if guilty of wrongdoing. I realize that the ringing is coming from my pocket, oh right I had that ‘doesn’t look like a cell but is’ on me! Once I take it out the screen says ‘Kaiba’ and has a picture of him looking none to happy about the picture on the screen. After staring at the phone, I realize that the screen is touch. Awesome! I thought that technology was only for computers! I tap the ‘accept’ button on the screen.  
“It took you long enough to answer,” are the first words out of him.  
“Hey! I don’t know how to work this thing, and you almost gave me a heart attack!” I yell in defense.  
“I highly doubt that the ringing of a phone can kill you, as you have shown some resilience to staying alive in the last month. How can you not be yet acquainted with your phone, it has been three hours since your belongings were handed back to you. Your cell phone should have been the first thing you look through. If you can’t look through it, it better be because you are feeling ill.”  
I get the feeling this is as close to a ‘how are you feeling’ I’m going to get from this man.   
“Yeah, yeah whatever. Look I thought that getting familiar with my house was a little more important than get in touch with technology that escapes me. This damn phone looks too fancy to be mine; it probably has a password I don’t even know.”  
“It probably does have a password, and since it is you it’s probably something elementary. It’s probably ‘0000’ so that you wont forget it.” I grin he may have a point on that password; I’ll have to remember to try that on the phone. I go over to sit at the desk and turn the laptop on.  
“By the way why is my apartment so bare? It looks as if I moved in last week.” Then I remember I’m under this asshole’s paycheck, “What minimal salary are you paying me? Ya damn jerk! I don’t even live far enough from my old man’s house!” The computer has now loaded. It obviously requires a password. I type in ‘0000’. It doesn’t work. I click the ‘hint’ button and get ‘the pass word’. REALLY that is the ONLY hint I left myself? Maybe Kaiba was wrong, maybe I’m ridiculously intelligent and he doesn’t even know it.  
“I would say your paycheck is more than adequate enough to get you out of the slums, it is you that refuses to leave the damn place. I wouldn’t know about your apartment since I have never been.”   
If it were someone else I would have sworn the last sentence sounded like he was pouting. My heart thumps at the thought of Kaiba being in my house. “Well Kaiba if you wanted to visit my house all you have to do was ask.”  
“Why would I go to your place if I can easily have you come over to mine?”   
I laugh at this, “I haven’t told you the best part! My bed is huge! It’ll probably make your bed look normal.” My excitement is oozing through the phone.  
“I’m amazed that you were not too busy jumping on the bed like a canine and were able to answer the phone. I am also sure that once you remember the size of my bed you will retract that statement.”  
I pout, “I’m not a dog ya jerk face, and I have yet to jump on the bed” I stick my tongue out. Even if he can’t see me it makes me feel a little better. His full statement hits me, “I’ve seen your bedroom?” My heart is racing now, why would I be so comfortable coming over to his house? Why would I be familiar with his bedroom? Oh my god! I can remember his bedroom!  
“Before your pea brain goes into overdrive, as my personal assistant you have gone to my bedroom to get me a change of clothes when I do not bother leaving the office, also to drop off important paperwork when I am bed ridden.”  
I’m relived and a little disappointed to say the least, and at the same time I can’t help but have the nagging feeling that he is not telling me something. Dejected I type in ‘password’ on the computer then hit the ‘enter’ button.  
“What am I, your nanny?” ‘Password’ actually worked! I silently start celebrating by shimming.  
“Trust me Wheeler if you were my nanny, housemaid, or nurse your uniform would consist of less clothes.”  
I stopped mid shimmy and started blushing at the thought of being half naked in front of Kaiba.  
“He-hey! That’s breaking some law! I-I wouldn’t want t-to b-be…I wouldn’t be caught half naked in front of you!” My blush has now grown from my cheeks to my whole face including my ears, why talking about having less clothes on in front of him got this reaction from me I don’t know.  
I hear a chuckle come from him “Joey, if that were the case you would already have been dead, I’ve seen you in swimming trunks. I don’t know why you would picture yourself in a maid or nurses outfit, you have some imagination there. Never knew you were into cosplaying. Either way I was only calling to see if you have gotten familiar with your work, seeing that you haven’t I’ll let you do that. Just so that your life is a little less difficult, I remember that you always had your email open on your phone and left yourself memos in the leather notebook. So you don’t need to remember your email passkey. Serenity visits once a week so she should be stopping by your place in the next two days; she doesn’t know about your crash. I expect to see you in my office two weeks from now.”  
With that Kaiba hung up, leaving me blushing at the thought that I had actually pictured myself dressing up for him, confused at the shiver that ran down my back at hearing his laugh, and shock at the fact that Serenity hadn’t been told about my crash.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published 1/9/2012

It had been two weeks since being home and I still wasn’t anywhere near recovering my memories, if anything I was closer to losing my mind. After spending almost a whole day becoming familiar with my phone, I realized I didn’t have any of my friends’ phone numbers programmed. On both weekends I got texts from Serenity saying that she couldn’t come over because Mom had plans or because of her friend’s birthday; when I called Yugi he also gave me excuses; if I didn’t know any better I would think that they were avoiding me. No they wouldn’t do that, if anything they’re busy and know how busy I am with work so they don’t want to be a bother. Dad hasn’t come around to visit me…guess he only sees me when he needs cash. I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up, I mean he barely paid any attention to me when we lived together let alone apart. What caught me most off guard was the amount of time Kaiba and I spent together prior to the crash. Half of my calendar on my phone was allocated to him, and a lot of them happened to be ‘diner’ labeled. If the man weren’t such a pain in the ass I would think that we were dating! I won’t deny that the thought had my stomach doing flips, I mean I always did think he was HOT, but that was only if he kept his mouth shut. No, scratch that even with his mouth shut, those smirks he gives are enough to make one want to punch him. No, I am not blushing thinking of that moneybags, let alone his snarky ways! Speaking of Kaiba, I should probably go back to work. I know I’m more than ready to gouge my eyes out in this apartment. Spending time at an office filled with people started to seem more and more like paradise. The thought of seeing Kaiba again had my stomach doing cartwheels; I really like it when he just smiles at me it fills me up with warmth…wait what! Smiles at me'? A buzzing startled me out of my thoughts; speak of the devil.   
“Hello?”  
“Hey Pup, have you learned anything new?”  
“Great, a dog joke, that will really get me to talk to you.”  
“If memory serves me right, it always got you to talk, perhaps not on good terms but you talked.”  
I scoff, “yeah well, apparently I’m a changed man so I won’t react to your antics”  
“I don’t know how changed you may think you are but you do still react to them, just not in a public setting.” I can almost hear his smirk as he says, “Your master has taught you new tricks.”  
“Goodness I can almost choke on the ego that is threatening to burst through the phone!”  
Kaiba lightly laughs at this, not the scary one he usually does but a real laugh! It makes me smile, I like it, it’s deep and sexy, and not to mention familiar… The memory of Kaiba smiling at me comes to mind  
I fidget nervously before asking, “Hey, can I ask you something…I’ve been remembering snippets of…stuff.”  
“Just ask your question and stop circumventing the subject.”  
After slight hesitation, I venture out and ask, “We’re only in an employer/employee relationship right?” My heart beat speeds up, and I’m almost afraid that I won’t be able to hear his answer over the thumping.  
“Well…I’d like to think that we at least have some sort of friendship. You don’t remember yet, but you do spend more time over at my place than at your own…like a good dog, always at my house greeting me with a wagging tail.”  
My heart sinks at the possibility of only being friends, I can’t even come up with a retort to the dog joke. Bad emotions, you should be happy that I’m not in an awkward relationship with my former enemy. His explanation makes sense and that also gives answer as to why I have such a bare apartment, and why I remember his smile.  
“Oh!...Ha ha, phew! I kept remembering your smile, and I thought I was dying! Your answer makes more sense.” Silence greeted me on the other end. “Oy, Kaiba you still there?”  
“I refuse to believe that my smile or happiness would contribute to your death. Either way if you’re planning on coming back to work on Monday, I expect you to be there on time. I’ll re-guide you through your work but remember that I don’t like to repeat myself so make sure you pay attention. I’ll see you on Monday.”  
The sound of the phone being hung up was then heard. I wonder if likening his smile to me dying was too much? It really was meant as a joke, it’s not as if I could very well tell him that the memory fills me up with warmth.  
===  
Change p.o.v.  
It was hard to keep my giddiness from rising inside. How is it that he can make my day with the simple memory of remembering my smile? I close my eyes, smile, before rubbing a hand across my face. Regaining my composure I gather my computer and briefcase, before getting up and heading towards the board meeting; my stoic face in place.  
===  
***  
Dressed in one of my suits and nervous on edge I enter Kaiba Corp. I’m buzzing with emotions, most of them having to do with seeing that jerk face’s face. Putting all that aside I walk up to the reception desk. “Hey there how’s it going? I was wondering if you could show me to Kaiba’s office” I sheepishly state.  
Without looking up from her task, the woman responds, “I’m sorry if you don’t have an appointment you cannot meet with Mr. Kaiba.”  
Slightly taken aback, I half mumble, “but I work here” to myself.  
“Look I’m sorry but yo--” her eyes became wide and she quickly fumbles to standing position.  
“Good morning Mr. Wheeler, I’m sorry I didn’t know it was you.” By now she’s frantically looking around, making eye contact with everything and anyone but me.  
“It’s ok, I understand, it is probably awkward and irrational for an employee to ask for directions” I smile so she knows that everything is ok. This causes the secretary’s wires to malfunction as she freezes and stares at me. After blinking a few times she points towards the elevators, “the one that has a guard in front leads to Mr. Kaiba’s office. Zac, the guard, will recognize you and let you on.  
I thank her and walk towards the elevators. I hear “…must have hit his head pretty hard in that crash…” being mumbled by the secretary. I think of asking what she means by that when I catch sight of the dark blue elevator doors. They’re boarded with a gold outline (probably real gold too). In the center of the elevator doors is a large watermark like outline of the Three Headed Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon.  
“That damn bastard would waste money on a damn flashy elevator door,” I hiss to myself. It is pretty cool and a bit imposing at the same time. The guard catches sight of me and quickly inserts his key, where a call button should be to open the elevator doors.  
Rather impassively the guard says “Mr. Wheeler, good to see you,” before getting out of my way so that I can enter into the elevator.  
I smile as I enter the elevator then wave and say “Good morning Zac!” I receive a blank stare as the doors close.  
“Damn how different am I now?” I ask myself. I literally ask myself, this elevator has mirrors lining all walls, making it impossible to not catch my reflection at all angles. “Damn showy bastard.” I catch sight of my smile. “What are you smiling at?” I growl at myself, before looking away. I refuse to believe that his being has anything to do with my giddiness.  
The elevator dings alerting me that I’ve arrived. Stepping out onto the floor a flurry of papers of being put down and people standing up catch my attention. “Welcome back Mr. Wheeler” was monotonously said in unison. Did they practice this or something? I’m not going to lie it’s creepy!  
“Uh…Hi guys.” I put on my best smile for them and wave. Workers’ eyes shift towards each other, while others stare blankly back at me. I’m getting really tired of these stares. As the atmosphere becomes awkward I start walking slowly down the hall towards Kaiba’s office.  
“Sheila’s right. That must have been one hard crash”; “Since when does he greet us?”; “Are we going to have to start greeting him?”; “…doesn’t mean I have to like him”; I hear being mumbled by my coworkers.  
The double doors to Kaiba’s office are as tall as the walls. From the elevator doors to his office doors, they all scream ‘I have money and won’t hesitate to use it in order to get my way.’  
I open his door, “Hey Kaiba ya mind telling me how I acted before? You said I was still me, but everyone out there stared at me as if I had come to work naked!”  
“Wheeler, you are still the same person. As I have informed you before, you are still you in a private setting. Care to explain how the office is a private setting?”  
“What?! Ya telling me that I’ma jerk face like ya ‘ere in da office? A’int you enough?” I angrily ask.  
“I’ll be willing to answer questions when they’re in English. I don’t speak dog.”  
“I do speak English!”  
“Good to know. Now stop arguing with me. Yes, you are more reserved, but that’s probably because you work a lot. You should already know that since I’ve already told you before. You need to start paying attention Puppy. Now today is going to be a long day. I will be reacquainting you with your work. You will be accompanying me to the meeting I have today, and in the future. I have someone manning the phones, but you need to pay attention since they will only help you this week; I expect you to be able to handle calls quite soon. I will e-mail you plans on a monthly basis so that you can arrange it on your planner, and vise versa. I expect you to accompany me to all meetings I have as I have previously stated. As of how I will be looking over half the proposals I get from the departments of Kaiba Corp and you will look at the rest; the ones that have potential and are reasonable will then be given to me. The rejected proposals will still be filed for future reference and in case I choose to fund a project. I have the final decision on projects. I expect you to be able to get the hang of this in the next two weeks any longer and I’ll have fallen too far behind on work. Although you have a perfect record if you can’t handle the job by then I’m afraid I’m going to need to replace you. I don’t want it to come to this so work hard.”  
All I can do is numbly nod, Holy molly! If that was my workload it’s no wonder I don’t have a life!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Published 1/9/2012

Working for Kaiba these last two weeks hasn’t been as bad as I thought, aside from the occasional underhanded comments, (I still hope he chokes on his tongue in the midst of these comments; unfortunately I also find myself basking in his attention.) It’s a little scary how he seems to be able to turn that CEO business persona on and off, in and out of meetings. That of course doesn’t mean that he stops being an asshole, ever. I’ve been attending meeting after meeting trying to keep up as much as possible, it was hard the first few times but after I realized that they all had rich asshole syndrome and therefore needed to make snarky remarks and speak in a pompous manner, I was able to decipher what was being said. I have found I’m actually quite good at correcting contracts and looking over project proposals; must be because it has been my job for so long. I still need help manning the phones; people can be quite vicious and irrational. Apparently some people can’t be bothered with being put on hold; damn people being so full of themselves that they think everyone will drop everything to appease them. I still haven’t tried getting behind the wheel, I’m honestly scared I’ll crash and not come out alive this time. That and the fact that I don’t know, I don’t remember ever learning to drive!  
So here I am at the Kaiba Mansion, getting Seto a change of clothes. Why yes I did just use his first name, I’ve gotten into the habit of doing that while I think of him, it just feels natural to do so. I wouldn’t call him that to his face, that’s just embarrassing, and said person would probably tell me off.   
The maid who opens the door recognizes me and lets me in. Without instruction I find Seto’s bedroom. This has happened as of late. I just know how to get around places that my body has just committed to memory and since Kaiba is a douche bag, albeit not as big as I thought, and can’t be bothered to get his own damn clothes I can only assume I quite often visit his room.  
I open the French doors of his room, and realize that my thoughts of this room fit perfectly, must be because my thoughts are just hazy memories. Walking to the center of the room I close my eyes, bask in the feelings of being engulfed by Seto’s sent; I smile to myself. I feel strong arms come to encircle my waist, I gasp.  
“You know how long it’s been since we’ve had time to ourselves?”  
I feel myself melt into the embrace. “Too long. You know, I usually like to be taken to dinner before taken to bed.”  
The chuckle I hear sends shivers down my spine. “Please if you really wanted to go to dinner your black hole of a stomach would have dictated this before we left the office”  
I turn around and put my arms around his neck, “You think you’re so smart don’t you Seto?”  
He smirks, “Well if the shoe fits.”  
I can’t hold back a chuckle “You’re so modest.”  
His arms haven’t left my waist, and he uses them to pull me closer. Leaning close so he can whisper in my ear he says, “I’m smart enough to know that I should agree with you right now if I hope to ravish you into tomorrow.” He nips at my ear lobe.  
It’s hard to suppress the shiver of anticipation that flows through me, “Mmm, Seto you’re really good at sweet talking me.” His only response is to kiss his way from my ear, to my chin, and then finally my mouth, I mewl my appreciation and open my mouth to his ravishing.  
“Seto…” my whisper breaks me out of my daydream and embarrassment quickly rises. Ahh! I can’t believe that my dreams assaulted me in the middle of the day. Not that I tend to have dreams about Kaiba! I quickly cover my warm cheeks in case someone happens to pass by and rush to the closet where I quickly press the cool clothes to my cheeks; I let a sigh of relief out then take in a deep breath, they smell nice. Ahh! I’m breathing into Seto’s clothes like a love struck teenager! I can only imagine how red my face now is. That is it! I’m never coming back here since I become more of an idiot. I quickly grab a white shirt, slacks, and a blazer; then rush out the door and practically jump into the limo waiting for me. I feel my cheeks cool the farther we get from the Kaiba mansion, seriously who knew that doing someone a favor would be so embarrassing, even when no one was around. I groan to myself, I hope I don’t have to make frequent trips like these, because lets face it Kaiba wouldn’t let me get out of doing this if I didn’t have a good reason, and explaining why would be mortifying opposed to being embarrassed all on my own.

Once I reached the office looking at Seto in the eyes was not possible. Seto’s smirks didn’t help. Using the excuse of manning the phone I avoided him until we needed to attend another meeting. By then I was able to control my blushes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally published 3/10/2012

_Seto and I are in his office. He’s drinking coffee while I have two sandwiches in front of me._  
 _“Thanks for the sandwich, but I have already told you that I don’t want to talk about this.”_  
 _“I know and I understand that you’re your dad’s sudden death has made you dumber than usual, but I cannot comprehend why you are avoiding your dweeb squad in favor of spending time with me.”_  
 _“Don’t call my friends that! My dad’s problems are my own they aren’t for you to meddle in. What I choose to do is my own choice. You know very well that if I didn’t need a job, I wouldn’t even bother with you.”_  
 _I know what I’m talking about and why I don’t want to tell Kaiba my reasons, let alone my friends but that reason escapes me._  
 _“They aren’t your friends anymore, wouldn’t you say? I mean with the way you ignore them and act as if they have a plague I think it’s safe to assume this”_  
 _The nonchalant manor in which he dismisses my friends fuels my anger. “I still consider them my friends!”_  
 _“Really? That’s surprising since you now spend more time with me than you do with them. I don’t mind, a dog should always be at his Master’s feet, but don’t expect me to have friendship moments with you. I don’t do that. You all practically make a rainbow when you have a friendship moment.” He sneers at this._  
 _“I’m not a damn dog ya damn moneybags! Their friendship does mean a lot ta me! Da reason I’m not hangin’ wit d’em ain’t any of ya damn business!”_  
 _“Listen Mutt, I don’t speak dog so I’m not going to pretend I understand what you just said. All I know is id you’re going to be around me at all times I’m going to need you to be quiet; try talking to me while I’m working and I’ll call the pound. Also don’t hang around me infront of Motou, I don’t enjoy seeing the kicked puppy look he gets when he sees you talking to me but ignoring him.” He sighs shaking his head, “I still don’t understand how this will keep them happy, but then again you haven’t ever been the brightest, have you Mutt.”_  
 _“Ya know what ya moneybags, I don’t need to stay here listening to you insult my friend or me! Ya can ‘ave ya damn lunch alone”_  
 _I turn around to storm out of the room only to open the door to a stranger._  
 _“I’m sorry to be the one informing you of this. I know I’m just a nameless neighbor, but I thought I should let you know there were shark loans looking for your dad.”_  
 _“Since when is that new? Thank you though, Ill make sure to look out for them”_  
 _“No, you don’t get it th--”_  
 _“No I don’t ever understand why me dad messes with those guys”_  
 _“They might still come back!”_  
 _“Look thank you for letting me know, but I can’t well camp out somewhere else until they do or don’t come back.”_  
 _I shut the door, and suddenly the room becomes pitch black._  
 _“Look Wheeler, all we know is that yout old man told us to come to you, and if you don’t have what we need, we’ll just take it from…someone else. Perhaps your friends? Do you really want that?”_  
I wake up with a start, in cold sweat. I really hope that it’s only a bad dream and not surfacing memories, I should ask about this. The fear that grips through me has me reaching for my phone, before reality settles in, this was all a dream and we’re no longer friends…After a dream like that sleep isn’t going to come along anytime soon, so I’ll just get a head start on this weeks work. Heh, I scare myself when I sound like Kaiba. I groggily get up to take a shower, hoping that the water will calm my nerves before imbedding myself in reviewing game contracts, for the next few hours.  
**  
Thursdays are my days off, I thought it was weird too until I was informed that I ‘work’ on Sundays at the mansion, this is also known as Mokuba wants to hang out with Seto without interruptions. Apparently I’m the only one that can persuade the workaholic to leave his desk…He needs to get a girlfriend to take care of this job for him. An odd emotion rises up in me, at the thought of him being with someone else, but I push that aside as I catch a glimpse of red hair.  
“Brother!”  
“Sis!”  
Serenity surprised me with a visit today. I still had to come pick her up from the train station but it’s nice to see her doing well.  
“Whoa there don’t go squeezing the life out of me”  
She laughs and playfully hits my arm before shyly saying, “but I haven’t seen my big brother in a long time.”  
“tsk tsk, and whose fault is that?” I stick my nose up in the air, “It’s too bad I have a baby sister that is too busy going out with guys to make room for her poor big brother.”  
She looks up and gives me large watery eyes, as she says, “I’m sorry big brother.”  
I know she has her own life, I can’t ask her to drop everything for me all the time. I ruffle her hair, “nah, it’s ok.”  
“Ah! Don’t do that, you’ll mess up my hair”  
I snigger then stick my tongue out at her.  
She just rolls her eyes. “It’s nice to see you this happy Joey, it’s been a while since you’ve been this care free.” She turns a small content smile to me.  
I only give her a confused smile, which causes her to laugh at me and shake her head. She mumbles to herself something that sounds a lot like, ‘you’re clueless.’  
We walk towards the company car, accompanied with driver, I’ve been using since leaving the hospital. It is Serenity’s turn to look confused.  
“Where is your car?”  
“Oh yeah, you haven’t heard.” My casts had come off and I only had slight headaches now and then that could be cured with aspirin. I’m forgetful, but unfortunately that is how it’s always been…the accident had no effect on it what so ever. “I’ll tell you why but we need to talk about this somewhere less public. I also need you to promise me you’re not going to freak out on me.”  
This causes her to start panicking. “Are you ok? Well of course you are I mean you’re right in front of me and in one piece. Oh no I should have visited earlier! I’m a bad sister!” Her concerned look suddenly becomes angry and she hits me!  
“Ow!”  
“Why didn’t you call me? Huh! Why did you wait until I came to visit you to inform me that something happened? How” hit, “could” hit, “you” hit, “have” hit, “been” hit, “in a” hit, “car crash” hit, “and not” hit, “have told me!” hit.  
“Ow, ow, ow, OW!! Stop hitting me!! Wait, how did you know I was in a car accident?”  
“I don’t know Joey, maybe because you don’t have your car.”  
“In all honesty, I thought the gang was going to tell you, at least Tristan.”  
Serenity gives me an odd look before lowering her eyes. “It’s been a while since you mentioned them…since you talked to them.”  
“I’ve come to the same conclusion, and I was wondering if you could tell me why. I know how it sounds, but you’ll understand once I explain things to you, come on let’s go.”

After going to a local café, and stationing ourselves in the corner, I explained what I was told happened in the car crash, and what I remember. By the end, Reni was crying.  
“Big brother, I wouldn’t have cancelled on you so much if I had known what was going on!”  
“Nah, it’s ok I don’t want to stop you from living your life. On the plus side I am alive” I give her a big smile.  
She giggles, “It’s good to know that you still have a sense of humor.”  
“Hey I always have one!”  
She sighs, “Actually, some time after dad’s death you lost your humor before it came back with so much force it seemed strained. I didn’t know how to help you or what to do. When I tried to broach the subject with you, you just laughed it off. I was pretty worried so I was glad when you informed me that your weekends started being filled up by the Kaibas. Although you nagged about it there was warmth in your eyes when you talked about some of Mokuba’s antics to get his brother to take a break from working.” A smile crosses her face.  
My brain has shut down partially after Reni, mentions the death of dad. “Wait, when did dad die? Why haven’t I been told? I mean it’s not like it’s really a surprise to me, after all the drinking he did, I guess it would make sense that he would die soon. That’s probably why I haven’t heard from him.” I slightly daze out before it occur to me that I should perhaps defend my boss. “As for Seto… well once you look past all the annoying traits that make up that Jerk, he’s not so bad.”  
Guilt flashes through her eyes. “Wow, you really don’t remember much. He died shortly after your graduation…I really have missed you big bro. Shortly after dad’s death you started working then gradually stopped hanging out with your friends. I don’t know why you stopped talking to the other guys; it feels as if it happened from one day to another almost over night.”  
“Oh…well yeah I can see how that would make you worry” I try to make this into a joke; this isn’t a time to have a serious conversation. “You didn’t date Tristan or that dice-boy while I wasn’t looking did you?”  
“Joey! They only liked to chase me; I think they got more of a kick just getting you angry.” Her smile waned “Actually, they tried to keep a friendship with me, even after you guys weren’t talking. Mother seeing that I had “thugs” as she put it from your past as my friends, she took it upon herself to change our phone numbers. They probably I thought I was tired of being friends with people that were no longer my big brother’s friend…”  
Seeing that she felt bad about this and I didn’t want to make her feel any more guilt, I changed the topic. We started to catch up on these last few years of her life and what was new in it. She told me of her friends, boyfriends, and how mom and I had managed to build a sort of truce. In all honesty I had hoped that mom would have come to care for me. It hurt me a little to know that she would probably never be able to look at me, without seeing my useless father in the background. I mentioned this to her, she gave me a faint smile.  
I told her what I remembered, she laughed at my expense for being knocked around for messing with someone else’s boyfriend and so on. The topic of having a boyfriend behind her back came up, but we agreed if I didn’t have someone smothering me over the accident, it was guaranteed that I wasn’t dating anyone. Through out many topics I wanted to bring up Seto many times almost did, but I always chickened out.  
We hung out the rest of the day; it was nice to know that some things don’t change. After many hugs and promises of being back to visit soon, Reni boarded the train and left.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Posted 4/17/2012

I’ve had more awkward dreams since the last, some of the dreams I woke up with jumbled emotions of hate, and anger, but no concrete pictures. I talked with the doctor about the dreams I had been having, I was prompted most by the dark dream and the more than realistic daydream in Seto’s room. I specified to the best of my abilities what had happened in my dreams but only said that I could physically feel the other’s presence during my daydream. Maybe the doc wanted more information about the daydream because he was insistent on knowing too many details and in the end, no help whatsoever.

He said that it could be either actual memories or side effects from having hit my head in the car crash. I explained to him that I’ve hit my head plenty of times bumping heads with others but have _never_ had a daydream that vivid. He couldn’t come up with a response that ‘appealed to me’ so referred me to other doctors. Ya know the ones that deal with head stuff... Anyway, he said if I would like to try being under hypnosis, he could give me the number to a shrink for that.

What doctor prescribes hypnosis? I’m not going to act as if I know better than the doctor, but I’d be _crazy_ before I let anyone do weird mumbo-jumbo in my head! I can still remember how it felt when I was under Marik’s spell thing…I don’t ever want to go through that again. Before I know it, I’ll probably be barking whenever the mailman comes around.

No Thank You.

I’ve gone over the dreams so often in my head that I’ve come to my own conclusions. These dreams are just scenarios my brain is coming up with to explain why the group and I no longer hang out. It would make sense that my job would get in the way of hanging out. I should ask Yami about the dream, maybe I could even ask him what he thinks they mean.

I wasn’t too surprised when I found out that he works, as an archeologist in Egypt, what did surprise me was that he works for Kaiba. Yami’s expertise on both Egypt and being the king of games gains him a spot on the designers list for most if not all duel monsters games. Maybe if he doesn’t know were she is he can still use some of his ancient voodoo-magic that he had from when he was a pharaoh to help unlock my memories. That is if he still talks to me…I hope he still does.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Ignoring the ‘good morning Mr. Kaiba’ he was receiving from his employers, Kaiba marches straight towards his office with only a “Mr. Wheeler, come to my office” to echo behind him.

Despite popular belief, Kaiba is a good employer. Not a friendly one, but you have excellent pay and health care with the company, even if you are only a janitor. That is not to say that he is a _nice_ employer, but if you were to say hi, he at least acknowledges the greetings with a nod.

“Wheeler!”

His tone is enough to have me zooming into his office. This is the first time since I started working that I am afraid for life. Kaiba looks pissed; you can practically see a cloud accompanied with lightning looming over his head.

“Are you feeling alright, beca---”

“I don’t have time for useless questions. As a fellow older brother I figured that you were best adequate to helping me with this problem I seem to have run into.”

“Is there something the matter with Mokuba?”

“You can say that. This morning Mokuba informed me that he will be going out on a date this Friday, with a girl from his class.”

“Okay…”

“He has made me promise to not do a background check on her,” I nod my head at this, it only makes sense. “I figured that if you did the background check on her I would technically not be breaking my promise. If you so happen to learn that her family has less than a perfect standing, as a friend and employer you would and should feel inclined to inform me.”

My nodding stops, “Are you kidding me?! You can’t do that! Mokuba is 17; he’s old enough to date! You can’t plan on doing background checks on every single person your brother dates!”

All I am met with is a blank face.  
“Oh my god, you were planning to do that. Look, as a brother I understand what you are going through. I also understand that no one will ever be good enough for them, but you don’t have Mokuba doing a background check on everyone you date. This isn’t a legal contract that you try to find loose clauses to fit your needs, if you had me doing a background check, you would still be breaking your promise.”

All Seto does is lean his elbows on his desk and lets his head fall into his hands with a sigh of defeat. He looks tired. Poor man, he can mercilessly take over companies, but waves a white flag when it comes to his brother growing up.

I walk behind his desk and put my arms around his neck. I half expect to be shrugged off, but am surprised when he leans into me. I close my eyes and take in his scent.  
Without warning Seto gets up and pulls me by the waist into a tighter embrace. It’s so fast I don’t have time to think about moving my arms from his neck. He leans his head between my neck and shoulder; my skin tingles where I can feel his soft breath. My heart starts pounding, I don’t know what to do but I don’t want this moment to end; it feels so right and familiar it can’t be wrong. I can feel as he slowly takes in my scent and his lips brush my neck, I can’t suppress my shiver. His lips make contact with my neck again, this time intentionally. He starts kissing up my neck and I move my head to give him more access. His embrace around my waist tightens. My heart is racing and my breaths are shallow. He once more reaches the junction of my neck and shoulder, where he lightly bites me.  
I moan, and a soft “Seto...” escapes my lips.  
A hand leaves my waist and grabs the back of my head. I know what’s coming, and I don’t fight it. Once his lips descend on mine, I’m lost.  
Seto’s lips are warm and meld perfectly to mine. His tongue gently glides over my lips seeking entry, one that I grant quite readily. The feel of his tongue sliding and intertwining with mine has me shivering uncontrollably. I really don’t want this to end.  
We slowly part and lean our foreheads against each other. I open my eyes to see his dark blue eyes swirling with happiness and anxiousness. I’m still trying to catch my breath, so I only smile at him. The anxiousness disappears from his eyes.  
“I very much enjoyed that.”  
I laugh and turn red, and try to hide my face against hands. He only pulls me back into his embrace and softly chuckles.  
“I can’t believe we did that in the office.”  
“I’m quite ok with it. I’ve missed doing these things”  
All my happiness is sucked out of me. Does he think I’ve regained my memories? That I’m _his_ Joey? What if I am never that Joey?  
I step out of his embrace. Not meeting his eyes, I head towards the door. “Sorry Kaiba, I’m not the old Joey, I still haven’t remembered anything. You and old Joey were probably together, which is why what just went on happened. I’m not him. I’ll be ready for our next meeting for whenever you want to leave.”  
With a heavy heart I reach for the knob, when a hand comes from behind me and holds the door shut. I have not ever been so happy to see Kaiba’s aggressive nature.  
Leaning in close to my left ear he whispers to me. “Pup, how many times must I repeat myself?” He nips my ear, I lean my head on the door, and he follows. “You, Joey Wheeler, have not changed. Maybe your character in the office isn’t how you imagined it to be, but when you’re not trying to be an adult, you and Mokuba can still pass off as twelve year olds.”  
I know I should be insulted, but I can’t stop myself from grinning.  
“Kaiba, you sure know how to make speeches.”  
“It’s Seto. I’d like to hear you moan it more often, but if you tell anyone I’ll deny it.”  
I actually chuckle at this. “You’re such a smooth talker.”  
Seto is rather crass with words, but he’s managed to make all my worries disappear.  
“I know what my puppy likes, and how to get it to roll over and show me its submission”  
I turn around intent on letting him know that I won’t be submissive to him, when he kisses me once more. Before letting my mind get too fuzzy with pleasure, I slip my tongue into his mouth, showing that I can take control when I want to as well. Seto lets me slither against his tongue before he forces our tongues out of his mouth and into mine. I bite his lower lip to show my displeasure. I feel his smirk before deepening the kiss that is over too soon.  
I frown up at Seto. His hand comes up to my jaw and his thumb rubs over my lower lip. “Any more and your lips will be too swollen to go unnoticed by the rest of the employees.”  
My face must have shown surprise because suddenly he was smirking. “What Joey? Enjoyed it so much you forgot we were at the office?”  
“This is so embarrassing! This is worse than daydreaming/remembering things about us!”  
“You’ve been daydreaming about me?”  
“Why does it sound more embarrassing when you say it?” I whisper angrily to myself.  
Seeing that Kaiba hasn’t responded, I look up to see him not quite meeting my gaze. I can almost swear there is a slight tint of red on his cheeks.  
“Are you embarrassed?”  
“I do not get embarrassed, Wheeler. It just so happens that from time to time you say things that catch me unawares that leave me feeling both happy and annoyed.”  
“I think some would constitute that as embarrassment.”  
“Don’t you think you’ve been in my office a bit too long? You should get ready for the meeting we are attending in half an hour.”  
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You just don’t want me to see you embarrassed. Either way, you need to tell me, how we got together in the first place.”  
As I opened the door, all signs of affection left his face, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that. It’s like seeing a zombie come to life right in front of your eyes, all emotions just drain out.  
“You just yelled out your feelings to me just now. How different do you think you did it before?” He raised his eyebrow at me.  
I was left to stare at the door like a fish out of water. I couldn’t help the slight blush that rose at the thought of such an embarrassing confession.  
***  
The meeting went on without a hitch, albeit a bit awkward. Seto’s meeting had been on a linked project between KC, Industrial Illusions, and Duke’s Dice Monsters. The whole time I had a funny feeling that Duke kept looking over at me in an almost scrutinizing manor.  
As we walk out of the room, Duke calls out to me before placing himself in front of me.  
“Hey Joey, I heard about your accident.”  
Seto is immediately between Duke and I, glaring daggers at the hand that has reached out for me.  
“Calm down Kaiba, I just wanted to know how he was holding up. Someone close to me, although he acts like he doesn’t care, cared enough to ask me if I knew how he was.”  
I am stunned immobile. Kaiba and Duke start forward before I run after them asking Duke “you’re close to a guy? I thought your goal in life was to only be surrounded by women.”  
Duke looks over at me with a funny expression, “You’ve known that Tristan and I have been close.”  
“You’re no longer fighting for my sister?”  
At that comment Seto scoffs before mumbling something that sounds a lot like, “more like fighting who can rip the other’s clothes off fastest.”  
I slightly stumble at that statement. We’ve reached the front of the building and have stopped walking mostly because I’m beyond confused and cannot seem to think and walk at the same time.  
“Wait you and Tristan are…”  
“Hey babe, I forgot my keys inside the house and I start work in about half an hour. I need to change.”  
“Tristan!”  
With a frown on his face, he turns towards me.  
“Good evening”  
The air around us becomes dense with an awkward silence.  
I’m at a loss for words. I have never been treated so formally by Tristan, all my memories of him are us having a good laugh and trying to mess each other’s hair up.  
“Wheeler and I have another meeting we must attend. We will be taking our leave first”  
With that Seto pushes me to move before hurling me into the limo.  
“Hey! What was that for?”  
“Joey, you fail to remember that besides your close family, and myself no one knows of your amnesia. Meaning, that Tristan still thinks you two are on non-speaking terms”  
I can’t help my shoulders slumping.  
“Oh right, I forgot that we’re no longer best buds.”  
Seto sighs before putting an arm around me. I cuddle into his embrace, finding comfort in his gesture.  
===  
Change p.o.v.  
“I told you he was fine. If it was something major Kaiba wouldn’t let him work, let alone leave his house.”  
Tristan humphs before stating “I wasn’t checking up on him, I forgot the house keys so I needed to get them from you.”  
“Ah Tristan my Cone-Headed-Love, you and I both know you could have gotten the maids to open the door or if they weren’t there you could have called me and waited for me.”  
“I’m not cone-headed; it’s just a stylish hair-do! Plus I forgot those options, I’m not used to maids that rich people just seems to have.”  
Duke slings his arm around Tristan, guiding him towards his own limo.  
“It’s ok to be worried about him. I’m sure he was glad to see you. He even called out to you.”  
“Yeah I was wondering about that, there was something off about that. He usually just ignores me.”  
“I think he has some of his memories jumbled up in his head…before you showed up he seemed surprised to hear we no longer fought over Serenity, and even more that we were together. I don’t want to think this is taking advantage of the situation, but I think if, for some reason wanted to rekindle your friendship, you should reach out a helping hand. Then again that is only if you wanted to still be friends.”  
Tristan doesn’t respond until they were in the limo and well on their way towards their home.  
“I don’t know Duke... You don’t know for certain that he has lost his memories. Maybe he was just surprised to see me without advanced warning. I can’t guarantee anything, but I would like to ask him, for myself, if he’s ok. We’ll see from there.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Posted 5/8/2012

*Beep* “Hey Joey! It’s Frankie, just calling to tell you that I’m back from the U.S. I know you told me not to get in touch with you unless you did it first, but I missed you so much that I couldn’t wait. Sad face. Guess I called you while you were still at work. Call me back!” *Beep* “There are no more messages. Main menu, to listen to---”  
I hang up my phone, and stare at it in confusion. It’s been almost a month since I got out of that car accident and this is the first time that I am hearing of a “Frankie.” If he’s my friend, he’s bad at it. Plus I don’t even have his number saved on my phone, but it seems like he’s on friendly terms with me so maybe he can let me know what is going on. I mean why would a random stranger be that excited to talk to me. I don’t see the harm in perhaps talking things out with him...at least I’d have someone to talk to about the Seto incident instead of just that person.  
“Wheeler, if your personal life is more important than working for me you can leave whenever you like, just don’t waste my time and money doing it.”  
Startled out of my thoughts, I look up to glare at Kaiba. “Yes Mr. Kaiba, my apologies”  
My glare follows his retreating back. No matter the time, he always walks around with all the regality of a prince. If it weren’t for the few employees that remain in the office, I would have told him something or better yet punched his face.  
I swear I still don’t know why I like him; at least I am pretty sure I like him. Nothing has happened since that time in the office, and I’m starting to think it was another life like daydream. There can’t be another explanation for it. Kaiba hasn’t even initiated any type of contact since then. He might also be ignoring me since he’s working on a new project, but that’s beside the point.  
Since Kaiba’s been working on the new duel disks code, my workload has doubled. Instead of just reading proposals and contracts, I need to start paraphrasing them so that Kaiba can brief through them without loosing too much time. This is on top of scheduling board meetings around his crazy workload, and his appointments; in person or via the Internet. I honestly don’t mind. I’d choose writing words over writing codes any day of the week. I just think that maybe he should leave that work for his computer and gaming engineers, instead of writing the codes and having them iron out the kinks...seems a bit backwards to me, but then again Kaiba isn’t known for being sane.  
It’s 10pm and there are only a couple of people at the office, I’ll take my work home so that I can call this Frankie guy back and see what’s his big deal.  
Sighing quietly to myself I make a cup of coffee before I pick up the proposals from the game designing team that have caught my interest, to leave them for Kaiba to read whenever he has free time. I set his fresh coffee on his table along with the papers, and inform him that I’m leaving for the night. His grunt is the only indication that lets me know he has heard me.  
“Hello, is this Frankie?”  
“Joey!” is squealed through the phone. I think I just momentarily lost my hearing. “Yay, you called me back! Smiley face. hee hee. I thought I wasn’t going to hear from you until the weekend came around since you have a crazy work schedule. I know, I know I shouldn’t have called you, but really how long were you going to make me wait for you to call me when you’ve ignored me for almost a month.”  
“I’m sorry, _I_ ignored _you_? Did ya not hear I was on my deathbed? Because, taking in how many flowers from people I don’t even know came in, my car crash made news. Wha’ sort of ‘friend’ does tha’? And who are ya?”  
“Friend? Who am _I_? Joey-baby are you ok?”  
 _‘Joey baby?’ What the heck?!_  
“I don’ know who ya are, simple as dat. Maybe if you were a real friend I would remember ya.”  
“You big meanie! Sad face. I know we haven’t talked, but I _was_ scared when I heard about your accident. The news said all your injuries were minor, and you also told me to wait for you to contact me. After all you can’t just break up your awkward relationship with your boss, and have him be ok with you dating someone so soon after the fact.”  
“Wha! Break up wit my boss? ‘ow about ya tell me, wha’s really goin on. I don’t know ya, and I ain’t with my boss. Spit it out, will ya!” A flash of that kiss with Seto flashes in my mind, I immediately feel bad for rejecting him, even if he isn’t here.  
“Joey-bab--”  
“I ain’t no one’s dog, and I ain’t no one’s _baby_!”  
“B-but Joey...you _are_ my baby...we’re boyfriends. I’d at least like to think that we can use pet names” his hurt voice over the phone, starts making me feel guilty. I forget that only a handful of people actually know about my condition.  
Sighing quietly I respond “Sorry, I...I’ve just been stressed these last few days and quite honestly I don’t know who you are. I wish I could remember, then maybe this won’t be so awkward, but I’m not the Joey you think I am so it is probably better if we aren’t boyfriends.” Although thinking about it now, why would this _Frankie_ and I be boyfriends, if Seto and I have something going on?  
“Are you breaking up with me?”  
“Umm...well...yeah...”  
“You’re just going to give up on us like that? You don’t even have the balls to tell me in person?! You’re cruel; I thought that you said you loved me, that you and that douche bag boss of yours, weren’t even serious! That it was a passing fad! Did you choose him because he’s loaded? Did you realize you liked cock shoved up your ass instead of having yours shoved up someone else’s?” I can hear him sniffling over the phone, “please joey-baby...I’ll change. I’ll be whatever you want me to be, but don’t leave me.”  
“I’ve slept with Seto?!”  
“Is he all you can think about?!”  
“Sorry, sorry!” face palming myself, I berate myself over being completely insensitive. “Look Frankie, you should know something. Ever since that car crash, I can’t remember anything. At all. It’s not that I have chosen Kaiba over you or whatever, it’s simply because I don’t remember you, or anyone actually.”  
I can hear him gasp over the phone. “Joey-baby! I’m so sorry! I’m the one that was being the a-hole here. I didn’t know you were hurt that badly! Sad face. Do you want me to come over? Oh yes! I can come over and I can be your little nurse and maybe you’ll be so happy you’ll love me again! Or even better you will remember me! Happy face! I’m so excitee~!”  
I get the feeling that these last 6 years have been long enough to not only get behind in technology, but also in lingo. I know what ‘excitee’ translates to, but I’ve heard people say ‘l.o.l., w.t.f., l.m.f.a.o., and j.k., among other things...what the heck does all that mean?! Are they really famous bands or something? And I thought I spoke badly.  
“Haha I guess that might help jump start my memories; guess it doesn’t hurt to try. Look when you get over here I don’t need you nursing me, since I’m already fine, but I’d like to talk about this whole me with Kaiba issue.”  
“Hmph! Why did you forget me but not him? Whatever never mind I don’t want to know. Ok I’ll be at your place...in twenty minutes tops. Later Joey-Baby!”  
His quirk of informing me his ‘faces’ is oddly cute, but I get the feeling they will start getting on my nerves after a while.  
*x*x*  
“Joey-baby!” is all I hear before falling to the ground under Frankie’s weight being launched at me. His legs are on either side of mine and his hands are on the side of my face. I can see hesitance cross his face before he asks, “Do you remember me?”  
“Wha? You!? I can’t be dating you! I remember you.” I come up to sitting position. He’s still sitting on my lap.  
“Yay!..So you know who I am?” He puts his arms around my neck, before I shove them off.  
“Ya! ‘ow da hell didga get ‘Sky’ from ‘Frankie’?”  
He cocks his head to the side. “Huh?”  
“Ya! Da last time I member ya, I was gettin’ da shit kicked outta me by ya damn overgrown boyfriend!”  
He gives me a huge smile. “Happy face! You do remember me!” He launches himself at me once more and hugs me before pulling away and pouting “although, that’s not exactly what I want you to remember about me.”  
“Da heck? ‘ow am i dating ya?”  
He gives me an innocent look, before smiling coyly at me, reminding me how straightforward and conniving he was back then. His smile puts me on edge. “You see, about a year ago my then boyfriend and I were at a club, and we sort of fought, so I grabbed the first guy that caught my eye’s hand and started to grind up on him. You know to get him jealous, the usual.” He has the forethought to look away as he finishes his great story of our ‘love.’ “The person I grabbed happened to be you...”  
“Wha! Ya used me?!...Again!?”  
“But Joey-baby! This has a good ending! Stop moving! I’m not getting off you until you listen to everything I have to say! Now. Stay still! hmp. Ok. Where was I? Oh yeah, so you know the usual happened my boyfriend didn’t like it too much, but instead of trying to beat you up...he just broke up with me. To say that didn’t blow....well boy did it blow. So we ended up getting drunk together, we had sex, the whole she bang, then kept in touch. You started this weird dating thing with your boss, but I really didn’t like it. I later found out it was because I was jealous, and then we realized that we had fallen in love with one another throughout the course of the year. About a month ago, after one of our many trysts, you told me that you couldn’t keep this thing you had with Kaiba if you were in love with me. Deciding that it was better you break up with him and let time pass before you dated again, I left for the U.S. with the promise of reuniting when I came back.” He has this huge cheesy smile on his face, as if he’s playing out the scenario in his mind. “Who would have thought that you would have been in a car accident and not remember all this, even the fact that you and your boss broke up?”  
“Uh-huh...yeah. Are you sure you’re not the one who hit their head too hard? That story sounds as if you read it off a paperback novel. I don’t think I can believe that story. What I do believe is that Seto and I seemed to have been romantically involved. What the heck is up with dat?”  
“I don’t see how us being together is such a surprise, but you and your boss isn’t. Do you like him now or something?”  
“Look, there have just been instances when I’m around Seto, that I know we aren’t normal acquaintances.” Not to mention that daydream and oh yeah the real live kiss we had. “I don’t mean to be mean, but all evidence points to me knowing the guy, and well...with you...not so much...I don’t even have your phone number in my cell phone.”  
“Well no duh! Wouldn’t you be suspicious if your boyfriend who just broke up with you had the number of another guy in his cell, you’d think he was leaving you for someone else. Right?”  
“I guess that makes sense.”  
“Happy face! Of course it does! Ok, so you and Kaiba got together one night when you two were at the office, late at night. You know, romance novel crap, big boss and secretary stay late, both lonely one thing leads to another and bam you two end up having sex. Then you got pregnant and he had to give his last name to the kid so you two were forced to be together, until the child grew up.”  
“Frankie...”  
“Ok, ok! The first part is true, but you two where only sex friends before you, being you, decided to try a relationship, but he’s a cold hearted bastard so you didn’t like that very much. We started talking more, we had a wonderful love making session after so many months, and we decided to love one another and leave Kaiba behind. Now it’s only you and me! Happy face!” He sticks on to me again. I let him do whatever is it that he wanted to do but after a while I had to push him away and get off the floor.  
We warily conversed for a while, before it started to feel a little awkward, especially when his boyfriend beating me up behind a club was so fresh in my mind.  
“Yeah…this is a lot for me to handle, and I don’t know exactly how I feel about this you me situation…I’ll keep in touch?”  
Frankie only gives me puppy eyes before looking down. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. We can still hang out though right? The way I see it if you’re hanging out with that cold blooded asshole, you would like warmer company” A scowl mares his face, while talking about Seto.  
“I may not like da jerk but if ya don’t know ‘im don’t insult ‘im, unless ya plan ta do it in ‘is face.” For some reason hearing anyone, other than myself, bad mouthing him makes me itch to punch the guys face; even if the face is pretty.  
“Why? So that I don’t see you sticking up for the bastard?”  
“Frankie.”  
“I won’t say anything bad about him in front of you. Happy?”  
“Yes. Now you’re going to have to leave, it’s quite a bit for me to take in all of a sudden, and it’s a long day tomorrow. I’ll see you…whenever I have sorted this out.”  
Smiling at me, as if he wasn’t just upset by what I had told him he waved then shouted, “Ok then! See you this weekend!” Closing the door on his way out.  
“FAAAK!” I thought things between Kaiba and I were rough! Where does this guy get off coming out of nowhere? Why the hell couldn’t future Joey have left a guidebook telling me how to fix up the shit he left behind? Bet it would be named _Ha Ha, Sucks for You_. Aw man, why can’t these damn memories come back already?  
Going to the nearest wall, I thump my forehead against it before getting ready for bed; I can finish the work up tomorrow morning.  
=Around the same time=  
Gathered around the kitchen table were three people, two had the same spiky multicolored hair, and the last had simple chocolate brown hair.  
“Look all I’m saying is that he acted like the old Joey we all knew”  
“I don’t know Tristan. What if he decides to change again? He is the one that pushed us away” Amethyst eyes looked down, and clutched his hands together. Ever since placing the millennium items back where they belonged, his hands felt empty in these stress filled times.  
“Yeah, but you yourself said that he has called you and tried to hang out since the accident”  
“Even then I didn’t know what to say. There was so many things I wanted to ask, and at the same time scared of knowing…I don’t know” Yugi’s voice lowers further, as his shoulders slump in defeat.  
“Aibou, you have never been one to shy away from friends. What holds you in place?”  
Large amethyst eyes meet red eyes, before they become teary. “What if Joey and us become friends again, only to have him regain some memory and its back to being ignored. Yami, I don’t think I would be able to stomach my best friend, being ripped away from me again, so suddenly.”  
“Aibou, there is no way for you to know, if you don’t try. You have taught me that. Are you saying that you don’t believe in your own words?”  
Nodding his head, Tristan further backs him up. “Yami is right Yugi, what if Joey does remember and chooses to stay friends with us this time?”  
“You two are right! We can’t lose if we believe, and even then we know we gave it our best shot!” His eyes become hopeful and a grin graces his face.  
Red eyes become content and a small smirk appears on his face. “To keep it on the safe side, let us see if Joey contacts either one of us, and we’ll figure it out from there.”  
The other two nod in agreement.


	10. Chapter 10

‘Ah! Just finished catching up on my missed shows! ^-^)Y

I’m sooo excite~ about next weeks. ^-^!

What are you up to now? XOXO ↖(^∆^)↗ Me~!’

 

Through out the day Sky would randomly text me these cute messages, and had me constantly on edge and filling me with guilt. On edge that Seto would look over my shoulder and see the text along with the guilt of not telling him about Sky. Choosing to ignore the texts in favor of picking up the office phone, I put my cell down.

 

“Seto Kaiba’s office”  
“Hey Joey. How’s it going?”  
I’d take Mokuba’s upbeat voice over the usual callers any day of the week. “Hey Mookie, it’s going well. How was the date?”  
“Oh. Heh heh, you heard about that.”  
“Heard about it? Ha ha, ya brother practically threw out a fuse. I swear his computer brain almost malfunctioned”  
“Sorry to have left you with that, but the date went well. There might just be a second one.”  
I groan “Oh no, that’ll be fun for me. Either way, I know you didn’t call just to talk with me. What’s up?”  
He sighs, “Yeah…Look big bro is running himself down on this project. I’ve already tried getting him to take a break but all he did was agree. I woke up this morning and he still hadn’t moved. Like at all! Just get him to at least stop staring at the screen for a couple of hours. Please”  
“Yeah I’ll see what I can do about it. Anyway, little man, I have to get back to work before your brother’s sixth sense kicks in. I swear, he knows when someone’s not working.”  
“That’s big bro for you, always efficient.”  
“Pfft more like a robot. Don’t worry Mookie, I’ll try to get that guy off his computer”  
“Thanks Joey! You’re the best.”  
“Yeah, yeah, and don’t forget it.”  
I hung up and looked at Seto’s office door with slight dread, this is going to be fun getting him out of there. Taking in a deep breath, I decide I’ll find a way to get him off the computer once I’m inside.  
“Yo Kaiba! ...Hey Moneybags …Hey ya damn jerk, look at me when I’m talking to ya!”  
“What do you want, Mutt? Your Master’s busy, go walk yourself”  
“I ain’t ya damn dog! And I don’t care if you’re busy. For the past week all I’ve seen is your big head reflecting your laptop’s light. How about you act like a human being and eat something.”  
“If I hadn’t eaten anything in a week, I would be working from a hospital room. Plus I have eaten.” He gestures towards his cup of coffee, and the granola wrapper lying next to it.”  
“That’s not food! Is that all you’ve been eating? How the hell do you have more muscle than me on this type of diet?!”  
Sparing me a pitying glance Seto responds with, “Easy, I’m better than you.” Before going back to work  
“Ha, ha, you’re so funny, now get off your damn computer and do some other type of activity. Move around or you’ll turn to stone, and while you’re at it, eat something!”  
A sly smile spreads on Kaiba’s face before completely stopping his work and looks up at me. “I can think of a couple of activities we can do together. Food can also be added to the mix.” His smile becomes a full on smirk, with a secret twinkle to his eye.  
As his innuendo clicks in my brain, I can feel my face becoming red “Ya damn prev! What makes you think I’d do anything with you? Who do you think you are?”

In a matter a fact tone, he responds “You’re boyfriend.” 

Flabbergasted, I open and close my mouth several times before asking, “ex-excuse me, what! Since when! Ya haven’ even asked me out! Ya haven’t included me in on dis…whatever! Ya haven’ even spoken ta me since da damn day we kissed!”  
He calmly saves his work, closes hibernates laptop, basically takes his sweet ass time. Before my confusion turns to full-fledged anger he’s stood and walked over to me. “You don’t honestly think, I do that with everyone, do you? Answer me this, why would I let my puppy go when I so clearly have a leash on it?”  
“Yeah well can ya explain your logic ta me, cause I ain’t a dog and you lost me after ‘boyfriend.’”  
“Essentially, I want you. And I have you. Ergo you’re mine.”  
Some time in him walking towards me, and his cocky speech, he has backed me up against one of his office doors.

Leaning down he whispers in my ear “Do you have a problem with that?”

The whisper of his heated breath on my ear has my knees buckling. “Look ya damn jerk, I just want you to ask. There’s no need for ya to invade my bubble.” My treacherous body still does nothing to shove him off, if anything I move my head to the side to accommodate Seto’s ministrations.

His low deep chuckle sends goose bumps from my ear down my spine before telling me, “I don’t see you fighting me.” He starts kissing and nibbling his way below my ear and across my neck, only to stop at Adam’s apple. It takes all my strength not to urge him to go on, maybe a whine escapes, can’t be too sure.

Sighing a little to himself, he stands up and holds my gaze, “If it makes you happy Pup, want to be with me?”

Under his intense hypnotizing eyes. I say, “yes” before I can even think of protesting.

Satisfied Seto goes back down to finish his roaming, and sucking on my Adam’s apple. I soak up the attention before asking, “was that so hard to ask?”

Kaiba kisses and nibbles his way up the other side of Jou’s neck, before deigning to answer. In his matter-a-fact tone, he says, “It was a pointless question,” as he softly bites down on Jou’s earlobe, then whispers into it. “We both knew the answer to it.”  
Frustrated with the teasing and wanting to let Seto know that he was not going to just be led along, Joey growls before grabbing Kaiba into a kiss.

At first Kaiba is shocked by Joey’s show of aggression, but quickly responds when Joey’s tongue starts partaking in the kiss. He lets Joey be the aggressor for a bit before taking control.  
After a few more mind numbing seconds Kaiba leans back before smirking. “Now Pup, Master’s got to get back to work.”

Opening the second door that they were not leaning on, Kaiba promptly shoves him out.

I turn, to see the door close in front of me. “Ya damn rich bastard, I still gotta limp! Do ya not care or do ya just like closing the door on my face?!”

At least I got him to leave the front of his computer for a second, embarrassing or not.

Sighing to himself, Joey gets back to work.

 

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*

 

‘Are you ignoring me? (+_+)

Or is your stupid boss keeping you busy?

You should just tell him (`o’)_凸 and quit!

^-^! XOXO Me~!’

 

I’ve already told him that I don’t like when he talks ill of Seto, but that doesn’t stop him from doing so…delete.

 

‘Joey baby! o_O!

(I_I) I know for sure that you’re ignoring me! (T_T#)!

Text me back…please! (-_-)

Me.’

 

Delete.

 

How he managed to text 20 times in over the course of the morning and slight afternoon without running out of things to say and faces to invent surprises me. Everything from his shows to his food, to what he was wearing. It was like I was his personal blue bird! Or whatever that tweet thing was called. Knowing for sure where Seto and I stand now, I need to go with what feels comfortable…and in all honesty aside from often being kicked out of the jerk off’s office, I liked him. Finally working up the nerve I send a text to Frankie.

 

‘We need to talk

-Jou’

 

 

 

Wonderful, he’s been texting me all day, but now he’s as silent as a mouse.

_‘or a cat when it’s about to attack…’_

 

‘Look, you said you were going

to give me time to get used to this.

You haven’t exactly been giving me

time.

-Jou’

 

‘…’

 

‘If you’re going to ignore me, you’re

leaving me no other choice. I don’t want

to do this, like this.

-Jou’

 

‘No! I know what you’re going to say!

I can change!’

 

Instead of replying, I phoned him. The phone rings until I’m sure the voicemail will pick up before he answers.

“Joey baby…Why…?”

“I have talked to Seto, about him and I…I want to try-”

“No! no, no, no, no, no!”

“I’m sorry Frankie, I do not have the memories you have of us. I have no memories of you. I cannot base a relationship with a person I do not know, and I really want to try this out for my own.”

“But…I’ve waited for you.”

 “No, Frankie, I don’t want you to wait _for_ me. I really like Seto…I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I don’t have the feelings for you, that you want from me.”

“No! You have to! You have to remember our love!”

“You may feel angry and hurt right now, but it’s better than waiting around for me to remember something that I might not ever recall.”

“Why have you changed? I don’t know this Joey, you’ve become!”

“You keep saying I’ve changed, but you want to know something? Seto keeps telling me that I haven’t changed. That this is who I am and have always been. Is I possible that you only saw who you wanted to see?”

 

Not being able to be around myself for a long time I decide to roam the halls of Kaiba Corp. It’s not as if Seto will need me anytime soon, he’s too caught up in that project. Checking the time, I make a mental note to come back to bug Seto in time for a real dinner. With that in mind I set off.

After wandering aimlessly for about ten minutes, I find myself in the programming sector of KC. It’s filled with a bunch of people in front of their computer scrolling down Matrix status; maybe I can find a Morpheus around here. I shake my head at my own amusement, man people would be happier if they lived in my head.

Not paying attention to who or what was in front of me I ran into someone

“Oh, sorry! Guess I wasn’t paying attention or something”

I look at the person. The glaring yellow and red streaks imbedded in black hair are so familiar to me that I cannot do more than stare as the person nonchalantly accepts my apology.

“Yami!”

“Yes Joseph, can I help you?”

“I didn’t know you were back.” I was so happy to see a familiar face that I hadn’t noticed Yami had been so formal at the start. Now looking at his blank stare I was once more reminded that we no longer talked. Feeling my spirits drop, I started to chuckle and rubbing the back of my head to distract myself from the hurt. “Oh right, we don’t talk huh?...ha ha…Look I wanted to know why or how that happened.”

Yami just stares at me, searching for something, exactly I don’t know, but it’s not long before he answers.

“You were the one that stopped talking to us, preferring the company of Kaiba over us. We thought that you just needed time after your father’s death, but you made it clear you wanted no help from us. We all got jobs and eventually we learned to comply with your wishes. Do you honestly think we would break off our friendship?”

“Would you believe me if I said that, that wasn’t me?”

“No. Pain makes people act differently, but that was your decision; your choice. I also believe that the you here, in front of me, understands the severity of the friendship that was lost.”  
I guess not being around Yami, I forgot how blunt he was in comparison to the rest of the gang. “ha, ha oh yeah, I get it. Guess that means that you guys don’t want me around.”

Turning to leave, I was stopped by Yami’s voice.

“We will always want you around. Maybe I have been too harsh, but my aibou is a very forgiving person. You and I know his kind soul is a rare one, but I need to know that you will not hurt him once more. That once you get your memories back you will not turn your back on us. If you turn from us once more, know that I will not hesitate to forbid you coming close to him ever again.”

After dinner with Seto, which took much longer than it needed to, since getting Kaiba to turn the computer off was like asking him to stop being an asshole, Joey set off towards Yugi’s Game Shop.

When he arrived the front door was unlocked and inside Tristan, Yami, Yugi, and Duke were huddled around a computer video chatting with Teá. As Joey entered she saw him behind the group and stopped talking. A silence rang around the room as one by one the rest of the gang took notice of him.

“Hey guys…long time no see…”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Posted 11/30/2012

Chapter 12

“What are you doing here?” hung accusingly in the air. Since Tristan’s outburst nothing else had been said, but all eyes sat warily upon Joey.

“There isn’t an easy way to explain this, but if you’re willing to hear me out first I promise to answer as much answers as I can.”

Yugi’s eyes roved Joey up and down, taking in his stance and how he favored one leg over the other. Understanding that standing stiffly for the last 10 minutes or was not good for Joey’s still recovering injuries he motioned towards a chair.

“You can sit down over there, this sounds like it might take a while”

Smiling his thanks at Yugi, Joey took the offered seat. “The story isn’t going to take long since, there isn’t much _to_ tell. By the way, hi Tea…I’m guessing that you got into your school in New York.”

Seeming to be at a loss for words, all she did was nod and send a small smile.

Taking in a deep breath, Joey leaned forward until his elbows sat upon his thighs, before recounting what little he remembered, omitting his cuddles with Seto, and the odd encounter with Sky. “And, now we’re back to me entering, which you guys know about.”

“So you’re saying that you woke up thinking you’re still 18?” Questioned Yugi in awe. “No wonder you phoned the store…I’m so sorry, I just didn’t know what to take of it, and you never called back…I don’t even have any of your numbers. I should have tried harder to get in contact with you again.” His awe had quickly turned into a frantic apology that had Joey quickly standing out of his seat trying to calm the man down.

“No no! It wasn’t your fault, knowing what I know now, I understand! Serenity told me that I stopped talking to you guys. Man I must have been a huge jerk.”

“Yeah you were but that didn’t stop us from wanting to know if you were ok…we thought of visiting you at the hospital but we just didn’t think that you would appreciate it….” Came Tristan’s tentative response.

“I just hope you don’t do that again.” All floundering stopped at Tea’s words. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that you want to re-connect with us, but understand that although you forgot that you pushed us aside and lived your own life, we didn’t. I just hope that if or when you do get your memories back, you don’t just abandon us once more.”

All eyes turned towards Joey, as the friendly atmosphere that had started to rise dissipated. Pushing his hands as deep into his pant pockets as possible, Joey looked made eye contact with everyone in the room, including Tea, as he responded.  
            “I can’t guarantee that when I get my memory back I won’t push myself away from you guys. I don’t even know what happened for me to do that. If I do get my memories back I’ll try my best to communicate what went wrong, but if I don’t try I give you permission to give me a good beating. All I can say is that right now I can’t think of a time without you guys in it.” The glare both Yami and Duke sent his way, had Joey curving into himself as his hands fisted further into his pockets. “I know that you guys will need to think this through, but if you feel that you still want to be friends with me I’ll leave you my number and address…” Awkwardly taking out a receipt and pen, Joey wrote his information on it before leaving the store.

No one tried to stop him.

*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*

A hard pounding from the door startled him out of his thoughts. Taking off his glasses before rubbing his eyes; Joey got up and out of his office to see who was at the door. He stumbled a bit in the darkness of his house.  
After having left the game shop and getting to bed, the nervous energy of not knowing if the gang was going to give him a second chance or not, chassed away his sleep. After a few hours of tossing and turning in bed, He finally gave up and decided to work.  
Joey opened the front door to see Tristan, Yugi, Yami, and Duke solemnly starting at him.  
Making eye contact, Yami stated, “you went out of your way to try to make mends with us, so this is us returning the favor.”  
            Not knowing how to react, Joey stepped out of the way to let them in. Joey could almost believe that this was a normal visit; if it wasn’t for the fact that the group stood awkwardly in different parts of his living room. Happiness coursed through his veins, yet logic told him to wait and see how this visit went.  
“Umm…Hi. Wow, I didn’t expect to hear back from you so soon. I don’t know what to say, well you can make yourselves at home…do you want tea...or Coffee?”  
“Tea would be nice, but we don’t want to disturb you. We know it’s a little early…but we figured if we…see friends stick together and we agreed that we want you to be a part of our lives.” Yugi finished a little breathless and forceful as he balled his fists within his jacket pockets.  
Yami put a comforting hand on Yugi’s shoulder, which seemed to calm the man.  
Tristan finally spoke up. “We want you in our lives Joey. We didn’t choose for you to leave them in the first place…but we’re willing to work things out. We’ve missed you…”  
Rushing to calm things Joey was quick to accept the offer of friendship.  
            “You’re not disturbing me at all. I was already awake, working on some files. I want you to be a part of my life, and want to be part of yours. You have never needed an excuse to visit me, and you won’t ever need one.”  
Yugi gave him a small smile in return, while Tristan nodded.  
Trying to make things less awkward, Joey quickly offered a tour of his place, which ended in his office.  
            “No way is this your place, man. It’s too clean.” Stated Tristan once having made himself at home behind Joey’s desk. “Your selves actually have books! Not just mangas covered with sleeves of smart books.” The tension that had been following them through out the tour started to slowly dissipate. “I know this trick! I bet you’ve hidden them inside this fancy desk of yours. Which one, which one?”  
Laughing at his antics, Joey let Tristan scavenger his desk as if it contained hidden treasure. It wasn’t long before Yugi joined him.  
            “Dude! Are you some neat freak or what? This desk is too clean” Tristan went on to mumble more things to himself and Yugi as Joey tuned them out.  
Moving to stand near Joey, Yami said, “You’ve done well. I just hope that this lasts,” before Duke who had also leaned in and dropped his own two cents. “Yeah because if you hurt Tristan again, I swear having you wear that dog outfit will seem like a privilege.”  
            In that instance Tristan let out a triumphant whoop. “Look what I found here! A black box, with a non-labeled disk in it! Naughty, naughty Mr. Wheeler, you shouldn’t leave your porn in such obvious places.”

            Alarm bells went off in Joey’s head at the sight of the DVD case. He had seen the box before, but only briefly when he first explored his own desk.

            “You dumb nut, leaving the box in his home, inside his desk where only he has access to, is not out in the open.” Duke informed his boyfriend, before heaving a disbelieving sigh. “You on the other hand, leave them in plain sight of anyone, in the living room, with the hard core cover out.”  
            All Tristan seemed to be able to do was bug his eyes out as his face flamed up.  
Not being able to contain himself any longer, Joey burst out laughing. “Oh man! Some things never change.”  
            “What ever! This is Joey’s stash.” Before returning to rummage the desk drawers some more. “Dude, either this is the ultimate porno, or this is home porn, because this is your only tape…oh well lets watch it!”  
            The idea of watching what was on the disk raised panic within him. Deciding it was a self made tape, Joey quickly set out to change Tristan’s mind.  
“Why would you want to see me naked? What is it? Dice boy over there not keeping you busy enough?”  
            Tristan faulted a little but not enough to stop the dvd as it was pulled in by the computer’s disk reader. “Oh well too late, guess we’ll just have to see you naked now.” Was Tristan’s only answer as the screen went black and started playing the dvd.

 _In the middle of a lowly lit room was Serenity sitting under a light. Her feet were bound to the chair, her hands tied behind her back, and she was blindfolded. Tears were clearly running down her cheeks as the camera came to focus on her face._  
“It’s recording, say hi to your brother.”  
“Big brother? Joey? I don’t know who these men are. They say dad owes them something, but he’s dead…Please big brother! Help me!” No longer being able to contain her sobs, a large man came into the picture. He put his hand on her shoulder before leering at the camera.  
“Hear that you little filthy street rat? Just because your old man died doesn’t mean I won’t get my money back. Either you start paying me back in full, or we’ll have your little sister here, pay it back with her flesh. Men would pay a hefty buck for an untouched girl. Hey she might even be able to pay me back in less time than you could. Hehehe”

The room stood completely silent as the images and what had been said settled in the air.

“Serenity!” Reaching for his phone and dialing his sister was all he could do, without losing his mind. His father’s debt collectors had kidnapped his sister no less!

“Hey big brother, how’s it going? It’s a bit early for you to call, but don’t worry I won’t forget to come visit you this week!”

Her laughter through the phone let him release the air he had been holding in. “Hey Reni. I just wanted ta hear ya voice, and make sure my pesky little sister wasn’t planning on ditching me again.” Her groan over the phone almost made him smile. “Anyway see you this Thursday. Now back to bed”

“Geeze you’re the one that woke me up, it’s not like something bad happened. Who even calls at this ungodly hour?” she grumbled a bit more before disconnecting.

“This video seems old. Joey, when did you receive it?” Yami was always first to act, and get down to the important logical thinking. Of course ruling a nation in his past life, might help with being in control of situations.

“I don’ know…I don’ member…My sis was kidnapped and man handled by dese damn men and I can’t remember a damn ting! What if she was ‘urt? What if she ‘as just pretended ta be ok, cause I can’t remember? What if she did pay with ’er flesh?! I don’ know cause I can’t member!”

“Joey! You need to calm down, screaming your confusion at us won’t help anyone.” Came Yugi’s reassuring tone.  
            “Is there anyone that you would have told this to? Anyone who would know about Serenity’s kidnapping?”

“I don’t know…maybe my mother, but we’ve neva ‘ad da best of relationships. It’s all but severed now, and I can understand why. Of course she always says I’m not good for Reni…I got her freakin kidnapped!” Taking in a deep breath, Joey decided to think. Who would he have talked to this about? “Damn it! Dat fuck’n damn bastard is going to get ‘is damn dick ripp’d off! The damn jerk probably know bout dis!”

“Kiba?”

‘No! Ma damn dad! Damn bastard probably died wit a smile on ‘is face! ‘e left ‘is damn loan sharks ta us!”

“Would you have told Kiba instead of us!?” Came Trirstan’s angry demand.

Uncertainly Joey responded, “e probably knows sometin’…”

“We were your friends Joey, why the hell would he know before us?” Demanded Tristan angrily.

“Of course I would tell him! Dat damn idiot is ma boyfriend! Why wouldn’t ‘e know?” Joey yelled back. Tristan only gaped at him, not knowing how to respond.

Yami didn’t bat an eye, “We always have suspected there was something going on between you, now it’s confirmed. Question is, are you each other’s confidant? Would you have really told him this problem?”

“Only one way ta know. Do ya guys think I could getta ride from ya? I can’t…and I want ya guys there…”  
The guys readily agreed. They all got into Yami’s car, with Joey in the passenger seat and headed off to Kaiba Corp.

Out of seemingly nowhere a car came hurtling at them in a four-way intersection a block from KC. The car hit the tail of the passenger’s side. The car spun, before roughly coming to a stop. It was then that a loud scream came from Joey. He sat there, head in between his hands, while trying to fold into himself. The others sat in despair not knowing how to help their friend.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2/26/2013

Chapter 13

 _“I a’int owing you no God damn money! I’ve already paid you back!”_  
“Look here you little shit head. You’re done paying when I say you’re done paying, or have you forgotten what happened to your little sister?”  
“Screw you! You had no reason to have kidnapped her!”  
“I needed to be assured my money would be paid back to me in full, interest included. Heh. Would have gotten a nice price for your little sweet sister though. Even would have gotten my fun out of it.”  
“Shut up! Shut up! My sister isn’t anywhere you can get to her!”  
“Oh that’s a shame since I would have loved to start up where we last left off. On the other hand I’m sure your boss’ younger brother would go for a high price. I bet a rich kid like that is worth high stakes.”  
“You fuck’n son of a bitch don’t you lay a hand on anyone! You have no right! That asshole’s debt has been paid!”  
“Ah ah ah! I bet your boss will pay a nice sum to get his brother back. Picture just how mad he’ll be that you got his brother in this mess. Ha ha ha. Bet he’d even fire you. Oo too bad, then you’ll be back in the slums just like your dad…don’t worry Wheeler. When you need money, I’ll be right here. Waiting for you.”  
“No you won’t! I’m never falling into the same trap as that man who called himself my father!”  
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Wheeler, what are you going to do? I have little Kaiba in front of me. It would be a shame, if he …went missing”  
Having been in his car, Joey quickly made a u-turn to head towards the airport, since Mookie was coming in today from his holiday.  
“You sick son of a bitch! I’ll get you for this! I swear I-” A horn blared and a large SUV barreled into the driver’s side of the car, the car rolled a time or two before darkness rolled in.

“Ah!” Splitting pain shook through his body as he relived the crash and ghost pains that came with it. A calming hand landed on his shoulder once the memory faded.  
“Joey, what’s the matter? Are you ok? Were you hurt when Yami broke too fast?” came Yugi’s soft worried voice from the back seat.  
Still a bit weak from the impact of the memory, Joey took a moment to gather himself before responding, “I’m fine Yugi, it’s just that I remember the accident! We need to get to Seto! I think my friendly neighborhood loan shark caused my little accident.”  
Everyone in the car stayed silent as they started off once more, before Yami’s strong voice broke the silence. “If what you think is correct, then the car that barely missed us was no coincidence.”  
Joey didn’t know whether to agree or not. A headache was starting, it was as if the almost accident had opened a flood gate of memories and his brain couldn’t keep up; unfortunately they were all happening in short lengths and left as quickly as they came. By the time they arrived at Kaiba Corp the flashes of memories that had been swirling around were calming down.  
Only a few staff had rolled in by now, one being Zac. He quickly ushered his friends into the elevator. As the doors closed his memory of the first time seeing the elevator rushed forward. He had entered Kaiba Corp at the heels of Seto, but when he tried to get into the elevator with him, Kaiba disdainfully informed Joey that pets rode the other elevators, that this elevator was purely for his master; that smug bastard. It was also the space where they later privately share countless passionate kisses.  
 _“We’re going to get found out one of these days” Joey managed to say between kisses. “Then we’ll have a real scandal on our hands.”_  
“I’m Seto Kaiba. Screw the rules, I have money” He smirked at his line. Having to let Joey talk, Seto’s ministrations moved down towards Joey’s neck. “Plus this is the only place in the building, excluding my office, that doesn’t have any cameras…”  
As the memory faded and mixed in with the previous memory Joey didn’t know whether to be angry, aroused, embarrassed, or disappointed that he hadn’t remembered this sooner.

When they got to Kaba’s office the group was surprised to see Seto not at his desk, but a thin dainty brown haired man instead.  
“Sky? What are you doing here? And where is Seto?” were the first words that flew out of Joey’s mouth.  
“Happy face! Oh Joey-baby you’re here!” Came Sky’s squeal before launching himself at Joey. “I wanted to come here before you came in. I wanted to let that nasty mean boss of yours, give you some time off! He needs to stop working you so hard. It’s only 6am and you’re already here. It’s ok baby, you can just come back with me and Sky will make you feel really nice and relaxed.” The last suggestive remark was whispered so that he was the only one that heard him.  
“You know this guy!?” Demanded Tristan.  
“Yeah, he was the reason that I got beat the day before graduation!”  
There was a collective “oh” from the group.  
Extricating himself from Sky’s embrace Joey put distance between the two. “Sky you know he’s more than just my boss. Now I’m only going to ask nicely once more, where is Seto?”  
“Grr. Why is it always about him! Why do you like him so much, when he’s just an annoying selfish arrogant butt head!”  
Before Joey could respond Yami angrily interceded. “Joey is his own person, whom he chooses to be with is none of your concern.”  
Sky turned to frown towards Yami, before pouting and saying, “poop. Well whatever. Joey-baby did you know when I came in to give that guy a piece of my mind, there were guys here that had him at gun point. I was so scared.”  
Sky took this as a chance to once more cling onto Joey.  
A shot of panic raced down Joey’s spine. He gripped Sky’s shoulders as he asked, “What did they do to Seto? Sky…answer me. Did they take him? Do you know where? Do you know why?” He was close to shaking the man in order to get the information out faster.  
Sky’s cold gaze met Joey’s before lowering his eyes and whispered, “I know where they took him, but why would I tell you if he’s just going to take you away from me all over again?”  
“Sky, this isn’t funny. This is someone’s life!”  
“I’ll tell you only if you take me…I just want to be close to you for a little longer.”  
Unable to stand the hurt in Sky’s voice, Joey reluctantly acquiesced.

“I just don’t understand why your friends had to come along. It could have just been you and me..”  
“We’re going to go rescue Seto, why wouldn’t I want my friends to help me?”  
“Yeah! I’m his best pal, it’s you who doesn’t belong here!” Tristan practically growled from the back seat.  
“This was supposed to be Sky/Joey time not Sky/Joey/a rabid animal and friends time.”  
“Did you just call me a rabid animal? Oh hell no-“ Tristan was cut off by Duke’s hand and voice. “Calm down Trist, he’s not worth it.”  
Yugi agreed and added, “Plus he’s the only one that knows where Kaiba is.” Yugi had a white-knuckle clutch on his necklace, with Yami’s arm around him. It was perhaps because of the embrace that Yugi wasn’t trembling.  
Yugi was always the one worrying about everyone but himself. The sight of his terrified friend had Joey seeing red. “Damn it Sky, you need to shut right now. These are my friends you can’t complain that they are here. If you really cared for me as much as you say you do, you’d leave them alone and try to make them feel welcome instead of insulting them.”  
“Sad face…oooo we’re almost there!  am so excite~” In that instance it was as if all the noise and warmth were sucked out of the car.  
“Sky. How is it that without written directions you knew the directions to this place?” Came out Yami’s even-tempered demand.  
Joey thought he heard and ‘aw poop’ before Sky sighed and started speaking. “You want to know something? A couple of years back Keith, my old boyfriend, was real angry about a dead-beat asshole that had bit the dirt too soon. He went on and on about how his money and how ‘these things didn’t happen to Bandit Keith.’ Anyway he sent me to look into this street rat, and guess whom I found. Yup, I found you Joey-baby. So I decided that instead of contacting you directly, that the best way to get you to pay your dad’s debt without revealing myself was to go through your beloved little sister.” By now the car had stopped moving and Joey was holding on to the steering wheel with the force he wished to have around Sky’s scrawny neck. “You paid back faster than Keith thought you would. He complained how he should have hiked the interest rate on you. I hadn’t lied that we had met at a club for the second time, but it wasn’t coincidence. I had planned that encounter. So of course when I tried to contact you, you blew me off. You told me to grow up and to stick a fork in it. I couldn’t have that now, could I Joey-baby?” Sky pretty face screwed into an ugly sneer. “Especially when you have always been mine!”  
“Da heck? I a’int eva been yours!” Joey went to lunge towards Sky.  
It was then that Sky took out a gun. “Nah ah ah, Joey, you’re going to wait here and listen to what I have to say!” Sky took a moment to compose himself before continuing. “I asked myself, what was the difference from the first time we had met to now. Then it came to me; your stupid, fucken boss! That’s who. So obviously he had to go. Don’t you dare move! One move from you and one of your friends get it!” Sky’s gun changed directions and aimed straight at Yugi’s head. “When I saw how fast you went to the rescue for that scumbag’s brother, oh the fire that burned inside me. Well I could have just killed you! I almost did too.” Sky’s face contorted in fear. “And I thought I did! I was so worried! I kept passing by your hospital room while you were in coma just to make sure you were ok. And the gods rewarded me for it! You came out fine and even better you forgot who you were!” pure happiness bled out of Sky’s smile and eyes before his face shut off. “But no, you just had to go back to him, didn’t you? You had to go and choose him! That’s why this time I’m going to do it right! I’ll get rid of him, and your stupid little friends too! Shhh don’t worry baby, you won’t be alone; you’ll never be alone. You’ll have me. And I won’t ever let you go.” Seeing the rapid changes in Sky’s face and emotions was off putting, and clear signs that the man had lost his mind. Joey didn’t know how to react. “Now Joey-baby, you need to get out of the car because we have a party to get to, and from what I hear it’s going to blow Kaiba’s mind, literally. Ha ha ha!”  
“No!” Just as Joey tried to once more attack Sky, a muscled man roughly pulled Joey out of the car. When these men had surrounded the car, he hadn’t a clue. He had been so occupied by the gun, Sky’s mood swings and the story, Joey failed to notice when their company arrived.  
Before knowing it, they were inside an abandoned warehouse. In the middle of the room was Seto Kaiba, calmly sitting down looking for all like a king at his throne instead of like the captured man he was.  
“Seto! Oh good, thank god you’re alive.”  
Seto looked at him then smirked. “Well, now that you’ve decided finally to come, I guess it’s time to take out the trash.”  
“Hey, who are you calling trash? You’re the little rich boy who’s tied up with no way of escaping.” Said a man in a suit nice enough to rival Seto’s, if it weren’t for the bandana with the American flag on it. This was Keith.  
“You. I only needed to see that Joey was alive and unscathed.” With that said, Seto partially stood up before bringing down his weight on the chair and broke it apart. He quickly took hold of the arm Keith held his gun in and redirected it to point at Keith himself. It was then that men in suits and sunglasses materialized from out of seemingly nowhere, immobilizing the rest of the gang squad.  
“You didn’t honestly think that I didn’t have guards surrounding the place, did you? But then again IQ lacking scum like yourself wouldn’t think things through, would you?  
Roland, take care of these filthy street urchins.” With that Seto handed Keith over to him, then walked out without a backwards glance. Had he not acknowledged Joey when he first came in, Joey would have thought Kaiba hadn’t seen him.  
“NO!! Leave me alone! If he can’t be mine, he can’t be anyone’s!” Before Sky could even aim his gun at Joey, one of the many guards had squeezed Sky’s pressure points and immobilized him.  
“It is ok to go Mr. Wheeler, we can handle the rest.”  
When they got out it was to see the back of Kaiba’s limo as it took off.  
“What the hell is wrong with him, you’d think he was angry and after having seen you.” Tristan angrily accused.  
“Or better yet, he seems to be angry that you came with us in tow.” Duke vaguely stated.

 _“When are you going to try and contact the geek squad?_  
“What?”  
“Don’t act oblivious Joey, I know you’re not dumb. It’s been years since you contacted them. That debt has been paid, you don’t need to fear for them.”  
“I know what you’re talking I just get scared…what if it’s too late? What if they don’t like the idea of us?”  
“You don’t need to tell them right away”  
“Yes I do. If I plan on starting a friendship with them once more it can’t be started with half-truths. Plus if they don’t accept me with you, then they’re not the people I remember, nor want to associate with.

“No it’s not that, from what I remember he was encouraging me to seek you guys out again…Last time we talked things didn’t seem wrong.”  
“Or perhaps it’s because being seen here would create a bad image for his company” Came Yami’s calm logic.  
“Yeah, but why would he leave Joey behind? If it was about looking bad, wouldn’t he want to protect the image of his boyfriend?” challenged Yugi, his support for Joey unwavering.”  
Joey just stared unseeingly at the road where he last caught a glimpse of the limo before shrugging and murmuring, “I guess…I don’t know…”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Posted 3/2/2013

It had been a couple of days since the incident. That’s what he had taken to calling the day in which Seto Kaiba stopped talking to him; he could have been a virtual stranger for all Seto seemed to care. Joey couldn’t stand this much longer, the next time Joey saw Seto, he was going to corner him and make Kaiba talk to him.  
“Good morning Mr. Kaiba.” And variations of this greeting came up as Seto, walked past the many cubicles and receptionist desks as he headed towards his office.  
“Wheeler, I need you to move my video conference call forward, and set my meeting with the video programmers back to 5pm, I refuse to meet with them if they have nothing to show for their time. Let them know that too. If by then they have nothing, let them know they are no longer employed by Kaiba Corp.”   
“Yes, Mr. Kaiba”  
As Seto stepped into his office, Wheeler got up to follow him, Seto stopped him.  
“Also, inform Sarah that for the rest of the week she will be the one joining me at my meetings.” With that, Seto promptly shut the door in Joey’s face.  
No longer being able to stomach this treatment, Joey’s anger boiled to the top. He roughly opened the door, and had to stop himself from slamming it behind him.  
“Look here y adman dirt bag! I ‘aven’t done a damn thing ta ya, so why the hell have ya been ignoring me since _that_ day?”  
“I don’t understand. Have I not talked to you?”  
“Yes you have talked to me bu-“  
“Have I not taken you into account?”  
“Yes bu-“  
“Have we not been in each others presence the past few days?”  
“You haven’t avoided me bu-“  
“If I by your own admission I have talked to you, haven’t avoided you, and have taken your presence into account, on what bases have I then ‘ignored’ you?”  
“You haven’t talked to me outside of work!” Joey’s angry accusation hung in between the two.  
“As far as I’m concerned that is all we have. As you have stated before I _had_ a relationship with the Joey Wheeler you seemed to have forgotten about.”  
A sharp pain lodged itself in the center of Joey’s face, as Seto calmly stared back at him. He had to swallow several times, and stare at everything in the office except for person of his affections. In the last few days he had been remembering all their intimate times together, their talks, dates, plans for their future. He had fallen in love with the Seto he remembered. He forgot that Kaiba might not want the Joey he now knew.  
“Oh…well that’s good, didn’t want you thinking that you had some sort of hold on me or something. Good thing we’re on the same page.” The few times Joey let his eyes travel towards Seto…no towards _Kaiba_ , the man sat statically in his seat. He turned towards the door wishing Kaiba would stop him. As he got the door slightly opened and had yet to hear a protest from the man, Joey’s anger came back with a vengeance. “What happened to, ‘you haven’t changed one bit?’ ‘I like you just the way you are?’ ‘even if you never remember, I fell for you all over again.’ Man was that a load of crap! And you know what, you rich jerk!” snarled Joey,  “I’ve been remembering everything! Who knew that the man in front of me could be so detailed? Boy am I happy that the Joey you loved never got to see this, because then he wouldn’t been the one with his stupid soft heart breaking!”  
Kaiba sighed before turning towards papers he had on his desk, then in an off hand manor replied, “I doubt you love me, and I certainly doubt the past one did as well.”  
Joey walked around Kaiba’s desk and smashed the papers Kaiba had picked up down. He leaned in and demanded his question. “What makes you think I’ve never loved you?”  
An angry snarl passed through Kaiba’s lips as he stood up so that he could look down at Joey, an ugly scowl marring his features. “You showed me you didn’t love me when you put my family in danger. You failed to tell me, that these goons had had threatened what was mine.” His voice had not risen but the anger was deafening.  
“I didn’t have time to tell you about Mookie!”  
“You! I considered _you_ part of my family! Mookie considers you part of our family! I’m sorry we are so low on your priorities that _we_ aren’t part of your family.”  
Realization dawned on Joey. When Keith had threatened Joey for more money, a member of Seto’s family had been put in danger. When he failed to tell Kaiba about the phone calls he had showed Kaiba, that he didn’t trust Seto enough to help nor protect him. A choked sound came from Joey’s lips before he whispered, “Don’t say that Seto. You know that aside from Reni, you and Mookie are all the family I have. All the family I need.” Tentatively he leans his head Seto’s shoulder. “I just remember being so tired of causing you problems. I thought that if I ignored Keith, he’d go away.”  
A ragged breath comes from Kaiba, before roughly grabbing onto the back of Joey’s head and pinning him with a stare. “I almost lost you. Twice! Don’t you dare leave me without my permission; you aren’t allowed to do that. We have a non-negotiable agreement. If you’re going to leave it’s because I let you, not because some crazy obsessed man runs you off the streets.”  
Joey wouldn’t admit it out loud but this possessive side of Kaiba sent shivers coursing along his spine. Joey grants Kaiba a small smile before responding. “The big Seto Kaiba would have a contract that is hard to get out of. I’ll agree only because ‘contract’ works both ways. You’re not allowed to leave me, unless I say so, and I don’t plan on relinquishing you, ever.”  
“Good” is all Kaiba says before roughly bringing their lips together. In between the demanding kisses, harsh nips, and fervent embrace a memory rushes forward

_“Ngh, don’t stop now, don’t you dare stop. We’re the only ones here” Joey going help the wanton pants that escaped him. “I swear Seto, if you stop now, when you have me half naked on your desk and more than properly loosened, I will cut off your dick and feed it to you.”_

_“heh, what makes you think I was going to stop. Stupid sill pup, I only stepped away to admire the view.”_

_“I’m not a dog asshole. Now come over here and fuck me.” Joey whined before shamelessly stating, “I need you to fuck me.”_

_Upon hearing this Kaiba roughly grabbed Joey’s hair, forcing the blond to meet Kaiba’s eyes. “Understand that although this is on my desk, this isn’t just some ‘fuck.’ After tonight, you’re mine and only mine. You’re not allowed to change your mind. This is non-negotiable. We’re over when I say we’re over. Got it?”_

_“Got it! It’s always only been you you’ve just been too stupid to notice. Now get on with it, I need to feel you inside me, show me who I belong to.”_

  
Amid the current kiss and the memory, Joey can’t help the needy whimper that escapes him. The thought of having Seto thrusting into Joey had him clinging harder onto Seto and demand more from the kiss.

It is also these thoughts that have Joey reeling back. He’d only ever had sex with his hand. Sure his body wasn’t a virgin, but in his mind he most definitely was!

“Seto, wait.” Joey’s raspy voice didn’t cut through the lustful haze that had fallen Kaiba. Kaiba’s ministrations had moved on to his neck. Trying to fight down the excitement and panic that was rising within Joey, Joey roughly grabbed Seto’s hair, yanking Seto off of himself. “I said wait, ya damn idiot.”

“I don’t see a reason to stop, no one should be bothering us any time soon.”

The idea of being caught like this hadn’t even passed Joey’s mind; that thought had him blushing. As he stated his first concern Joey couldn’t meet Seto’s eyes. “Yeah well, you can calm ya damn horses! I’ve never done this!”

Giving Joey a pitiful glance Seto said, “Nonsense Joey, we’ve done this plenty of times.”

“Ya damn bastard! You know I don’t remember anything! I am more than positive I was a virgin before you!”

The smirk that lit Seto’s face made Joey far more nervous than he was at the prospect of losing his virginity once more. “Well, well, well, you were always so insistent that you weren’t a virgin, but here you are negating that very statement.”

“Well maybe I wasn’t a virgin when we finally got together!”

“You never had a partner while you were working for me. Even if you weren’t then, I’ll enjoy every second of taking your virginity now.” The smirk had transformed into a leer on Kaiba’s face. Excitement coursed through Joey at the thought of Kaiba having his way with him, but his panic stopped any wanton thoughts short.

“Look maybe we’ve rushed a little into this? How about we start from scratch?”

“You want me to call you names and treat you lower than me?” Kaiba couldn’t stop the slight twitch in his lips as he repressed a smile. Joey’s reactions to his sarcasm always did amuse him.

“You really like to make me mad, don’t you? I was saying maybe go on dates, ya damn jerk face, but if you want to go back to that I won’t stop myself from beating ya pretty face!” Having gone from angry, to aroused, to embarrassed then to angry once more had Joey turning to leave Seto’s office. Just as Joey was about to open the door Seto spoke up.

“7pm at my place tomorrow, don’t be late.”

This stilled Joey’s movements. He slowly turned around. “Is this how you ask people on dates? You demand their presence?”

Will complete calm and “If I had to ask, I would have. We both know you’re going.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised at the size of your ego, but you find ways to surprise me.”

“I’ll see you at 7”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll think about it, you egotistical maniac.” They both knew Joey would be there.

\--

Upon arriving Joey was greeted by one of the mansion’s maids and shown to the gardens in the backyard. The rose bushes were lit up by small lights hidden within the bushes, the flowers where blooming and right in the middle of it stood a single table set up for an intimate dinner. The table had a single burning candle in the middle. The plates and silverware were set out, and a single red rose lay atop, what Joey presumed was his plate. On his seat was a small polished wooden box. So caught up in the setting, Joey didn’t realize Seto was there until he felt Seto’s arms wrap around him.

Leaning his head on Joey’s shoulder Kaiba whispered, “I’m glad you were able to come.”

Leaning back into Kaiba’s embrace Joey couldn’t help the smile that graced his face. “Yeah well, didn’t want good food to go to waste.”

“As always thinking with your stomach. Come on let’s go sit down.” Taking Joey’s hand Kaiba led Joey to the table and helped him into his seat.

Having picked up the box, Joey didn’t know what to do. His curiosity was eating at him, telling him to open the box and explore what was inside, but on the other hand Kaiba hadn’t acknowledged it.

Once Kaiba sat down, maids starting placing the salad on to their plates. He sat there with his elbows, hands loosely intertwined together and head resting on them. He had a smirk playing on his lips.

After silently looking at each other, Kaiba leaned back, a full smirk on his lips before saying, “You can look inside the box Joey. I know you’re dying to open it.”

It was like he had finally let Joey breathe. “Oh thank God!” He wasted no time in ripping the top off and getting to the contents; inside where notes of various sizes. Confused at what this meant, Joey looked up at Kaiba.

“Are you going to stare at me all night, or are you actually going to read them?”

Wordlessly Joey picked up a post-it note and read it. A light blush sprinkled his cheeks. He picked up a folded note this time, and a smile spread across his face. By the time he had read a handful of notes Joey’s face was pink, his smile threatened to split his face, and his eyes were shining. “Are these little notes, between you and I? And you kept them?”

An almost nonexistent blush filled Kaiba’s cheeks. “It’s not a romantic gesture, I just had them lying around my office, and forgot to throw them out. Plus they work as evidence that our relationship wasn’t all fighting.”

“Call it what you want Kaiba, but I know you’re a romantic at heart. I have the saved letters to prove it!” Joey looked down at the letters once more; a shy smile began developing upon his face. “I like knowing this side of you, makes me feel like I’m privy to a huge secret. Besides the real Seto Kaiba is much more worthy of my time than the aloof billionaire everyone wants to get their hands on.”

A small smile crossed Kaiba’s face at Joey’s confession. “Well I’m glad you feel that way. Moreover I like that you like this little surprise. I was hoping it would inspire you to keep leaving little notes for me. It also gives me an incentive to find a reason to not throw your notes away once more.”

The two shared a private smile, before they were interrupted by the next course being set. Between the main course and finally dessert they spent it talking about anything and everything that came to mind. Joey was surprised he and Kaiba agreed on many things, and even enjoyed some of the same activities, aside from playing duel monsters. Kaiba wasn’t so surprised, but spending time with Joey always made him feel content. Joey’s memory hadn’t come back, but the he was still getting some black flashes. It had been three months since the accident and the doctors said that Joey might probably never fully recover his memory. Joey insisted that he liked who he was now and didn’t want to let his past change him.

“No way, White’s wife would not cheat on him! I mean she’s pregnant with his child! Plus she’s waaaay too stuck up to cheat!”

Kaiba scoffed. “Well White is more often Heisenberg these days than he is Walter. I’m just telling you, she cheats on him. That’s a fact. I just think he needs to leave her.” Kaiba leaned onto the table. “His meekness in the beginning infuriated me, but the man he is now well I wouldn’t want to cross him the wrong way. It just goes to show, that smarter people are the ones that need to be feared, not the guy with the most guns or henchmen.”

Joey put his arms on the table and leaned towards Kaiba. “You just like him because he uses sciency stuff to look like a total bad ass. My favorite is Jesse, his partner.”

“You just like him because you are as confused and absent minded as him.”

Joey quickly sat up and glared at Kaiba. “Are you saying I like him because we’re both dumb?! Screw you, for all you know I like him because he’s good looking!”

Kaiba’s face became impassive “…You’re not allowed to watch that show anymore. It’s dumb anyway. If you want to know what happens just ask me.” Kaiba got up and started to walk in the direction of the house.

Joey quickly stood up to follow; throwing his napkin, which still laid across his lap, onto the table. “Oh no you don’t, you started this all on your own and I’ll watch whatever the heck I want!”

Carelessly waving a hand, and not bothering to look behind Kaiba responded, “You’ll be too busy with work to have time to yourself.”

Joey walked in front of Kaiba, forcing him to stop. Joey crossed him arms and looked Kaiba in the eye as he incredulously asked, “Are you seriously jealous of an actor from a tv show about drugs?”

Without breaking eye contact Kaiba responded. “I’m not jealous, I’m simply informing you that you will be too busy with work to have too much time to yourself. Why would you waste your few precious moments of free time in front of a tv screen, and not the person you’re dating?” Had it not been for the slight tick in his right cheek belying his anger, Joey would have probably fallen for the aloof act.

Knowing that Kaiba was honestly jealous of an actor on Joey’s behalf brought a smile to Joey’s face. “You’re cute when you’re jealous Seto. I’ll let this one go because you’re trying very hard not to sound jealous.” Not being able to help himself, Joey gave Kaiba a smirk before grabbing and kissing him; effectively winning the dumb quarrel.

It didn’t take long before Kaiba was in almost complete control of the kiss, and had Joey so flush against him, their clothes were the only barrier that kept them in a semi decent arrangement.

They continued for a bit before deciding that they didn’t need to rush things. Agreeing that taking it any further with a newly virgin Joey, could make things awkward, they called it a night. This wouldn’t be their only date, so why rush things? Plus, it was late and they needed to get sleep if they planned on being early at the office the next day. The life of a CEO of a large corporation was exhausting, but having one’s boyfriend as their secretary made it slightly more bearable.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Posted4/22/2013

It had been three months since their “first” date and some six months since the accident. Joey was rather content where he was. He and the gang had settled their feeling and now hung out in mass when ever they had free time. It wasn’t often that they could do, but it made their time spent together that much more special. The most recent gathering had included Tea, who went on and on about her adventures in New York. It was nice knowing that even a foreign country couldn’t change a person too much.

“Are you spacing out or had your brain finally fried?”

Joey would have reacted to the slight jab, has it not been accompanied by Seto’s arms wrapping around him from behind.

Joey rolled his eyes and leaned into his embrace. “Ha. Ha. I was just thinking about the last time we hung out together with the gang.” He still blushed at the fact that he had started daydreaming, on his feet, in the middle of Kaiba’s office.

Kaiba scoffed, then kissed Joey’s nape. “I get an insufferable headache around them, and I swear Yami gets a kick out of making me angry. Trying to beat me at chess, really? If he wasn’t such a good employee, I’d fire him.”

All Joey can do is laugh at Kaiba’s complaints. “Ya look like you enjoy your self just fine when you beat him at chess, but if you don’t want to go to the next gathering I can go on my own.”

“Hmmm…It’s only once in a while, I guess I can put up with them for you.”

Joey turned around and slipped his arms around Kaiba’s waist. He couldn’t help the smile that spread on his face before mockingly saying, “Thank you oh great and powerful Kaiba for doing so much for little ol’ me.”

“Well let’s see, I put up with your friends, even though Tristan still loudly asks in front of me why you’re with me; you use up all the hot water the mornings after you have spent the night over; you take up all the covers at night, despite the fact that I give you your own; and you sometimes snore so loudly I can’t sleep.” Joey slightly flinches at the list of his shortcomings. “But I’d be willing to put up with all of it as long as you’ll have me.”

At this Joey was slightly stunned. “What do you mean ‘have you’?”

Looking straight into Joey’s eyes Kaiba began his speech. “I want to wake up to you everyday, even when you’ve kept me up all night. I want you to be the last and first person I see every day. I want to argue with you, laugh with you; be with you. I want to be the only one to see this smile you’re doing right now, every day from now until one of us can no longer walk and none of our teeth are real. I know we can’t legally marry, and we’ll probably never have kids, but if you’re willing to share your life with me, I would like to live with you. Move into the mansion, I want to build a beautifully imperfect life with you.”

Joey was awe struck and at the verge of tears. That was the more romantic thing he had ever heard; and from Kaiba no less. Unable to find his voice, Joey frantically nodded his head before grabbing Kaiba’s face and kissed him with all his feelings. Kaiba didn’t miss a beat as he tightened his hold on joey’s waist, bringing them closer.

As their kissing and touching intensified, Joey knew where this would lead. He was excited. It wouldn’t be the first time they made love, but it would be the first time _he_ slept with Kaiba. He had stopped things from progressing a few times, but he had no intention of doing so now.

When Kaiba ran his hands down Joey’s ass and pressed in between his cheeks, Joey jolted a bit.

“Hey Seto, remember I’m like the reborn virgin here, you’re going to have to walk me through this.” The statement sobered Kaiba for an instant before his eyes clouded with lust. Seto slowly started walking Joey back towards his desk.

Joey liked the look he was being given, but part of him felt like a prey being stalked. “Uh, Seto, you want to clue me in on what you’re thinking, because you’re looking at me that same way I look at food.”

“Joey, Joey, Joey, just sit back and let your master guide you through this.” Before Joey could talk, Kaiba grabbed him and proceeded to kiss the fight out of him. Unknowingly, Joey had brought out Kaiba’s possessiveness.

Kaiba had cornered Joey against the desk and wedged himself between his legs, aligning their cocks to rub against each other through their clothes.

Joey wasn’t one to just sit back lamely, so he wasted no time in ripping off Kaiba’s suit jacket and shirt. Letting his hands run freely over Seto’s muscular build. Kaiba went at a more leisurely pace, rubbing his hands over Joey’s nipples and tweaking them when they hardened through his shirt.

Joey moaned loudly into their mouths and grinding against Kaiba a bit more frantically. He became so desperate he began to threaten Kaiba between kisses. “Seto, I swear if you don’t hurry up I’m going to hurt you.”

Kaiba laughed at him. “Always the eager one, aren’t we?” Wasting no more time, Kaiba divested himself of his and Joey’s clothes. Since they had managed to throw everything off the desk, Kaiba saw no point in wasting said space. Reaching over to open one of his drawers, he grabbed a bottle of lube. He lubed up some of his fingers and proceeded to insert them, one at a time, into Joey. Making sure to stretch Joey out as best he could.

Laying half on the desk and half off, Joey stared at the ceiling. His erection having gone slightly flaccid, at the odd sensation of being stretched. “This just feels so weird, it doesn’t hurt anymore, but It’s not like I’m dying of pleasure here.”

Kaiba only glared at Joey, fingers not stopping from their task. “Shut up, I’m doing this so I don’t hurt you.”

Joey raised himself on his elbows and glared back at Kaiba. “How about I shove my fingers up your butt, see if you like it.”

“Please, even if I were to let you, you wouldn’t know what to do with yourself”

“Let me do it, and I’ll show you just how-oh! Ah!” Joey let himself fall on the desk slightly raising hips into the touch. He closed his eyes so tightly he saw stars. The pleasure was so immense and sudden it rocked Joey’s body. Between gasps and moans Joey begged Kaiba to repeat his onslaught.

“See told you, you liked it”

Joey spread his legs farther apart so that Kaiba had better access to his prostate, but still had enough sense to talk back between breathy moans. “Don’t start getting a big head, it’s not that good.” Joey didn’t even believe himself, but why would he waste his breath filling Kaiba’s already over inflated ego?

“You don’t even believe that. The way you’re fucking yourself on my fingers invalidates your last statement. Damn you don’t know how good you look naked on my desk riding my fingers.” Seto’s dirty words made Joey blush, but the image sent shivers of arousal coursing through his body. “I want to be inside you already. Want to feel your hole sucking my cock in the same way it’s doing my fingers.”

Turned on beyond comprehension, Joey only mewled and spread his legs wider; inviting Seto in. Unable to resist such a sight, Kaiba quickly lubed himself with his free hand, making sure to not linger any more than necessary. Once done, he slipped his fingers out and in one fluid motion buried himself, balls deep, within Joey.

A small grunt escaped Joey. “Oh fuck, I hope that’s all of it. I swear anymore and it won’t fit.” Joey took a few seconds to become accustomed, before he experimentally rocked his hips, only to have Seto hold him still.

Seto informed Joey in a shaky voice why. “Don’t move until you plan on letting me pound you onto this desk. You’re a virgin, you need things done slowly.”

Joey groaned in frustration, “I may _think_ I’m a virgin, but my body sure ain’t! Now move before I make you mo-oh!” Joey’s statement was cut short as Kaiba’s cock brushed up against his prostate. Not wasting any time, Joey started rocking back into the pace Seto started.

Unable to find full fulfillment in that, Joey wrapped his legs around Kaiba’s waist to better angle himself. Soon Seto was pounding directly onto Joey’s sweet spot, on just about every thrust. As they both neared their climax, the thrusts lost all type of rhythm as they frantically tried to find their release.

Kaiba’s thrusts were so vigorous Joey used what little strength he had to hold onto the desk. Not missing a beat, Kaiba grabbed Joey’s legs and rested them on his shoulders, using the angle to mercilessly pound Joey’s prostate. Joey’s noises became louder and his tunnel became tighter, accelerating Kaiba’s release. Knowing he wasn’t going to hold out much longer, Kaiba started jacking Joey’s cock off. Joey groaned something akin to Seto before coming on their chests. Joey’s hole clenched around Kaiba as he came deep inside Joey; he kept thrusting in milking the orgasm out.

Once they caught their breaths, Kaiba slipped out of Joey, feeling the ripple as Joey’s body begged to stay connected. Feeling the slight fluttering and seeing his essence run out of Joey only made him almost want to repeat his actions. If not for the fact that despite Joey not being a virgin, this was the first time in a while since Joey had sex, Kaiba wouldn’t hesitate.

“Woah!” Was Joey’s only expression and he tried to get his wobbly legs to support him. “That needs to be repeated, multiple times, on multiple surfaces. Just maybe not in the office again.”

Kaiba only smirked at Joey, as he gathered their clothes. “I didn’t hear you complaining a moment ago.”

Joey smiled at Seto, and felt his breath hitch as Seto smiled wholeheartedly back. It was times like these that Joey fell in love with the CEO all over again. He didn’t even mind that he had semen running down his legs. Joey walked over to Seto and gave him a light kiss on the lips, before whispering, “I love you.”

Kaiba hugged Joey close, and without breaking eye contact responded. “I love you too.” He handed Joey his clothes, and they both dressed in silence. “Now help me clean up my office. Tomorrow we start moving you out of that ridiculous apartment.”

“Can we keep my bed though? I swear it’s the only reason I even go back to that apartment.”

Laughing and rolling his eyes at Joey, Kaiba agreed to include Joey’s bed in the moving process. They left the office spotless and in order before going home and repeating their performance. It was the first time in a long time Joey woke up late.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and review!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always welcome! =)


End file.
